Would You Read A Book In Digital Format?

@gtargirl (5376)
United States
March 10, 2008 4:14pm CST
I guess I'm just a simple old fashion girl. The E-format of my favorite book is something a little hard to grasp still. I really need to get cozy, sit in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. Turning the pages instead of clicking on "next page" sounds more inviting to me. Our books are going digital according to Amazon. Would you enjoy reading on your laptop/internet or buy the book and read from cover to cover, so to speak?
18 people like this
56 responses
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
10 Mar 08
Over 90% of what I read is digital. I read on my Palm PDA and love it. I always have 20 or 30 books to choose from and they slip right into my pocket. I don't need another bookcase or space to buy more books and boxes to pack them up when I move. It is better for the ecology...I see no reason to stay with paper books
2 people like this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I see the logic in that. Sounds like the print would be really small. There go my eyes. I believe that the book world is thinking along your lines. The future is here, I guess. I do love my paperbacks though. Thanks for dropping, by my friend. Have a yourself a wonderful Monday evening.
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
10 Mar 08
No, the fonts are not small at all, in fact they are customizable. http://www.ereader.com/ereader/software/browse.htm I am reasonably sure you are using windows, go to the above site and download the reader (it is available for other platforms and is free) then download a free ebook to play around with it. You just might change your mind about ebooks.
2 people like this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
11 Mar 08
I will check it out and play with it.
1 person likes this
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
12 Mar 08
i tried reading an e-book too. its okay for me but it really hurts in the eye. but now i haven't been reading any e-book because i usually only surf the net with the computer. i actually haven't finished a book i have started late last year! ^__^;; but if our internet connection would be cut off (God forbid!), i might finish that e-book. i still read books though. i like reading while i'm lying down in the bed. but i don't get to buy books that i really like because they are just so expensive! so i seldom buy books. and its not surprising why people choose to read e-books because of the high prices of books in stores.
2 people like this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
13 Mar 08
I usually buy my books online. Amazon actually sells books starting at 1 cent. Of course, shipping and handling is always $3.99. Still, that's a good deal. I wonder if our eyes are affected reading either e-book or traditional book? Who knows. I need glasses no matter what. Hope you're having a wonderful week, Secretbear. Thanks for stopping by.
2 people like this
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
13 Mar 08
i tried buying books from ebay but i was too lazy to meet the seller and get my books. it can be delivered but i'm also too lazy to go to a bank and deposit my payment to the seller's account. ^__^;; i still prefer to buy books in a bookstore after all. i think its much more straining to the eyes if we are reading an e-book. because apart from the strains from reading itself, there is also the strain cause by the bright light from the monitor and the radiation coming from it.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
11 Mar 08
I have done it and I even have a book that I wrote in e-format it is in print form too, but I do like the book form the best,
2 people like this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
11 Mar 08
to pm you we have to be friends, so I send you a friend request.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
11 Mar 08
Very cool, Winterose. Tell me about your book. PM me the link if you like.
2 people like this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
10 Mar 08
oh heck I have to curl up and read the book turning thos pages I read enough on the net getting a book to read I got to be comfortable not set at the puter for that one.!
2 people like this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
11 Mar 08
lol I dont either just heard about them and yup its all about comfort. NOw I know they have books on CDs to listen to while driving for thats what the truck drivres do.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
11 Mar 08
I think some people get e-books on their PDA. That just makes me sound smart as I have no idea what a PDA is. LOL. But I do know you can upload books on them and stick it in your purse. Sounds very interesting. But you're right. It's all about comfort, coziness and a chance to relax with a paperback.
1 person likes this
@fec139 (810)
• United States
14 Mar 08
I have become disabled and this is a wonderful innovation for people who can't hold books. Also the backlighting of the computer helps me. I wish I could afford to buy an Amazon kiindle.
2 people like this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
14 Mar 08
Ah, you are right my friend. Even though I'm still not a fan of reading on my lap top it sounds like it is an ideal for you. I've heard so much about Amazon Kindle I will have to study up on it. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend.
1 person likes this
• India
11 Mar 08
i would rather read a real book than a e-book. I already spend loads of time watching movies and playing games on the computer... To do more on the computer means straining my eyes
2 people like this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
11 Mar 08
That does seem to be the consesus here, my friend. It seems we are not ready to give up our paperbacks just yet. But I think I will give the e-book a chance just to see what it's like. But I agree with you about the extra strain on the eyes.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
26 Mar 08
I love reading but I don't enjoy reading them on my computer I can't really enjoy them that way. I love being able to take a book woth me everywhere where ever I go and not have to worry the battery will go out right in the middle of a great part. And plus my computer is dialup which means slow loading pages and I just don't have time to sit around waiting for a page to load to read a book Lord it take to long and you forget half what you'd read. I would like that they have a device that reads only books and that you just have to slip in a cartiage and start reading of course you'd better make sure your around a handy place to plug in your power pack. That be neat.But still nothing better then turning the pages of a favorite book.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
27 Mar 08
You have a great week also. And that you get alot of great books read.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
26 Mar 08
I totally agree with you. It's only been very recent that I've actually joined the wireless world of internet. In any case, I still am in favor of turning a real page in a book I can touch. Of course, that PDA is sounding like a handy tool. Thanks, my friend for stopping by, hope you enjoy the rest of the week.
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
10 Mar 08
oh i love the physical reality of reading a book but also have read e.books, i think they are a positive step forward
2 people like this
• United States
12 Mar 08
books vs. e-books - cool graphic about books vs. e-books. will books become a thing of the past?
I don't think so--I prefer the old fashioned way of reading too (plus it makes me sleepy!). I don't know that the format of an actual book will go away any time soon--it's been such an intrinsic part of our lives since what, the 1400s or 1500s? And how will children learn to read if it's not right in front of them?
2 people like this
@Bd200789 (2994)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I'd rather read a real book. There is nothing I like better that turning the pages of a good book. Plus, if I read online for too long, I get a headache.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
11 Mar 08
Headaches are no good. With me it's my eyes. I think my color has changed from brown to red.
1 person likes this
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
10 Mar 08
I would never like to read my favourite book on a laptop or pc screen. I find it very tiring and I don't enjoy reading like that. If it's something to do with my work and I have no choise I can bare with it but I print everythig I can to read it on the paper.
2 people like this
@klaudyou (501)
10 Mar 08
E-books are the future, unfortunately for the nostalgic ones... We will tell our grandchildren about the pleasure of reading a paper book, and we will take out a dusty thing from the cabinet and show it to them...and they would just not understand how such a blunt thing could be made and why this waste of material instead of 10Mb of words packed digitally and very handy. We have to adapt...it's not that bad, provided you have a good screen to read on, with no negeative effects on your sight...
2 people like this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
10 Mar 08
I was thinking about you today. I haven't seen a post from you for a few days, and here you are. I am not a fan of e books. I much prefer the real thing. I have also never seen an e book that told me concisely what it is that I want to find out. Most of them seem to be additional sales materiel for something else. But perhaps I am jaundiced because almost all the big internet sales scams that I have ever seem to revolve around paying $40 for something that isn't worth the paper that you bought that printed it. Having written all that I suspect that you are really talking about proper books. Amazon have produced something called the Kindle that allows you to download your books and read them on screen. A sort of literary iPod. Personally, whilst I like the idea of having every book in the Universe in my pocket; I still prefer to have the real thing. Sorry about the diatribe earlier.
2 people like this
@Britelite (148)
• Singapore
12 Mar 08
Definitely prefer the physical book. I think most of us spend too much time in front of the computer and it can really hurt our eyes. Though Amazon has come out with an e-book device, doing the math, reading actually turns out to be more expensive..as the e-books are not cheaper than the physical. The device itself is over-priced and still quite first-generation. The only pluses are that it eliminates shipping and storage and it's a little easier on the eyes. So..still the good old-fashioned way of reading for me.
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
12 Mar 08
I like to read, both in books and in e-books, and also on the computer. I have written a novel, back in the 80's and a couple years ago, I put it in e-book format. I sold it online, about 5 copies. You can see about it at http://www.kreatedbykewpie.ws/kbkbooks/oklahomawind/
1 person likes this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
12 Mar 08
Very nice. You have over 2,000 visits, maybe more. I have friends with books the publishers have stopped printing now. The e-book would be an option.
1 person likes this
@as2006 (5040)
• Israel
11 Mar 08
I love to read an orginal book's mybe I'm also old fashion but I love the book, to see, to fell, to touch to mark when make a pause. I love to go to the liberary to find a good book, to meet people that came to look for a book to ask them about good book. Not always I have the time to read but I look forwerd to read.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
11 Mar 08
Ah yes, the library. What would happen to our libraries if the world went digital. That would be some sort of gigantice restructoring. Is that a word? Oh well, I also agree with you about marking the pages. I use pretty bookmarks but something I mark the page too.
• United States
16 Mar 08
I can see pros and cons of digital reading, but mostly I am like you, I like to curl up with a good book. There are times when it would be very inconvienient for me not to have a paperback. I like to read in what my hubby laughingly calls "The Library" In the bathroom, and also soaking in the tub, now i don't know about you, but I do not want my puter in the bathroom, esp. when I am in the tub. So yes, give me the old fashioned paperback anytime.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Mar 08
Its better for the economy to go digital but like you i LOVE to curl up witha good book and flip the pages. I read the last harry potter book online and it was sooo different. I can't wait to read the actual physical book. I think a great system would be to make everything digital and print books on demand.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
11 Mar 08
Wow, now there's a thought. Make everything digital and print books on demand. I think you could make big money suggesting that to publishers.
@nice030481 (1109)
• Philippines
11 Mar 08
i really dont like to read books, i feel sleepy!!
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Mar 08
I'm not a fan of the idea. My eyes already hurt enough from the too-much web surfing I already do. I think reading in front of the computer, like you said, is not cozy or relaxing so it takes away for me the best part of reading. I think I would get headaches from trying to read books online...not to mention if you don't have a laptop it's probably a huge pain!