Would people ever consider reading a whole novel off a screen?
2006-10-20 10:09:21 · 34 answers · asked by brainlady 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
noo never! the best thing about a book is getting comfy on the couch with a nice cup of tea and relaxing. or snuggled up in bed nice and warm with a good book. i can think of nothing worse sitting on an uncomfortable chair staring at a screen, clicking next for the next page or scrolling down.
paper books will always be around - they are very valuable in my mind.
2006-10-20 10:18:48 · answer #1 · answered by alrightyyy_then 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Nope. To hard on the eyes, back, neck to attempt to read a great novel sitting in front of a CRT. A headache from hell by 50 pages.
To truly enjoy a book turn off all other distractions (except soft soothing music maybe) and have good soft, but direct, lighting, and a glass of wine and become engrossed in the story.
I'm an avid reader and of course we've all seen motion pictures based on a book. I will always enjoy the book much more than the movie. To make a movie from a 1000 page novel and have it wind up in 132 minutes it is almost a impossibility to tell the whole story .
If you try to read a book of any substance on your computer you will probably never complete it and you will be the loser. Books are a link to other minds. Whether it be poetry, fiction, non-fiction, or a technical manual, you are reading the thoughts and feelings of the author and have an insight into that person. that someone elses interpretation of their work cannot give you.
DaVinci is a current example. Read his words. Not what some guy in 2003 decided he could twist and distort to suit his needs and make a bundle of cash. Read DaVincis life and understand the genius he was.
Only books pass on knowledge through the generations and the centuries and deserve your whole attention.
And if you print off a copy then it is no longer an e-book but a book and you are further ahead to go to the library or simply buy the book and save some money.
2006-10-20 10:58:00 · answer #2 · answered by jim60 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The technology isn't there yet. There are increasingly good ebook readers - including ones with passive displays (lit by natural reflection like paper, so less eyestrain in good light) that only need power to turn pages, and have a high resolution (print is usually much better than screen quality). These are curl-uppable, but I think issues remain.
In some instances, an e-book version is good, for example quickly finding passages, being able to copy and paste a quote, etc. If you've ever tried to hold open a 1,000 page technical book and type at the same time, an ebook edition would be very much appreciated.
So, the downsides then. For one, if you want colour, you can't have the quality displays I mentioned earlier. Maybe not an issue for most novels, but can be a defining feature for some (e.g. Irvine Welsh's Hexachrome-printed lurid colours, out of gamut on-screen). A small point maybe (don't judge a book by its cover, etc.) but more of an issue for scientific and technical books (e.g. the impressive plates in many biology books, coloured source code, etc.). Then, there's typography. A printed book should have been typeset by a professional, in carefully chosen fonts. This isn't something you notice directly (unless it's your job), but instead it contributes to a "feel" of whether a book is right or not. On low-res screens, serif fonts hinder legibility; on paper, they aid it. Since there is no standard size or resolution for ebook screens, and font embedding and licensing is a huge issue, (and here I mean REAL fonts, not the CDs you get with 10,000 fonts that are mostly novelties, and are sadly lacking in the range of characters covered. If you buy a full set of Arial , that's £380 , and a typical price), devices will not display books as satisfyingly as paper.
Even supposing we have a device with a wonderful colour screen, fantastic typography, all the bells and whistles, I think books won't be replaced because people like physical items. That, and people may be happy to carry a cheap paperback on the train, but not an expensive toy (Nintendo DS nonwithstanding)
2006-10-20 10:37:41 · answer #3 · answered by kirun 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is the question that publishers would love for you to answer!
Personally, I like printed and bound books, particularly for novels/bios/nonfiction because I can take them anywhere usual and maybe not so usual.
For reference, I think that so many people use the Web these days anyway (don't see that going anywhere anytime soon!), that an eBook is a moot point, except for highly specialized or scholarly reference books.
The younger people of today are increasingly dependent on technology for everything, so I don't think they'd shun it. I still see them in the libraries choosing paper novels, but doing most reference work or research online. Remember: it's easier, faster, and cheaper to update electronic materials than it is to produce a whole new encyclopedia or dictionary everytime we "invent" a word or the world changes.
Overall, I don't think paper books will ever go away.
Space is also an issue for a lot of libraries.
2006-10-20 10:34:27 · answer #4 · answered by manderson 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I did research into this for my publishing website
(www.excaliburonlinepublishing .com) and I was really surprised at the results.
People prefer the traditional paper style book, however, they largely would be prepared to read an e-book, especally if that was the only format offered.
I think that e-books will become more popular but never replace normal books.
One thing that puts people off at the moment is sitting down at a computer screen, however I think this will change with mobile technology.
In sci-fi films & TV there have been equipment (aboout the size of a paperback) that has mostly been a screen with buttons at the bottom - a bit like overgrown palm tops / pda's.
Well just think of having one of these and being able to download books onto it & keeping them there!
ADVANTAGES -
- Ideal for moving round
- less space needed
- will no doubt to alter text size (ideal for people with visual problems - like myself)
- will still have that 'book' feel to it
- books will then never go 'out of print' as they will just be on a massive data base & not reliant on print runs
2006-10-20 22:04:52 · answer #5 · answered by David 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I really hope not. Computers are okay for research etc, but I love books, and I can't read on a screen for long periods. The best reason to search for books on-line as far as I'm concerned is because if they're old enough you can sometimes read them free, but if I wanted to read them properly all the way through or dip in often, I would buy a paper copy.
2006-10-20 11:17:16 · answer #6 · answered by scylax 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi there. Free eBooks are terrific as promotional tools for printed books. Even though my books are available in both eBook and print, most people still prefer a book they can put in their hands and feel.
I use demo eBook versions to give readers the opportunity to read the first 4 to 10 chapters of my books so they don't have to spend any money to find if the book is right for them. That doesn't cost me anything and readers are able to download the demo right away and read it on their computer. Then, if they like it, there is a link in the demo to go and order the full print or eBook versions. Cool huh?
If any of you would like to read a demo of my newest medieval fantasy epic, THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY, just email me at FiveStarAuthor@aol.com and I'll send it right away.
That's my two cents worth. Good luck, whatever you decide to read.
Jon Baxley
THE SCYTHIAN STONE
THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY
THE REGENTS OF RHUM
2006-10-20 11:11:49 · answer #7 · answered by FiveStarAuthor 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nope never! Imagine trying to read and ebook in bed... not very comfortable holding up the screen! Think of all the places you like to read. On the bus, in the park, the bathroom! You can't do that with an ebook. I could'nt read a whole book on here it would send my eyes crazy!
2006-10-20 10:17:29 · answer #8 · answered by Lovewilltearusapart 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i'm hoping no longer! If i'm alive in 50 years (and that i'm purely 20 so I might desire to be!) then i'm hoping i ought to have a extensive library of paper books! i do unlike analyzing issues on a video exhibit and its even worse on a small exhibit screen! I also have a Galaxy S telephone which has an e-e book reader on it, and that i've got attempted it and hated it! regrettably, i think of the above poster became good - that at last human beings will come around to it. jointly as actual copies of books are nevertheless obtainable in spite of the indisputable fact that, i'm going to be determining to purchase them and protecting them!
2016-12-16 11:03:51 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its possible as Sony are bringing out an e-book system which is a normal book size. It has a high resolution screen (so no tired eyes) and it will be possible to download all manner of books to it.(A bit like carrying a library in your pocket!)
Having said that there is something about the sensory experience of a book which would be hard to replace.
2006-10-20 10:22:05 · answer #10 · answered by Excelsior 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋