Do you think books will ever be replaced by digital media?
@JillianBillington (92)
Australia
April 8, 2007 7:47pm CST
With the amount of digital media available to us, do you think society will eventually do all their reading on some sort of electronic media. Will we eventually have no use for paper books?
8 responses
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
9 Apr 07
Well it would save alot of the forest. But then it will also put alot of people out of work too. I would love for us to have to have a digital media reader the size of a book and you just have to buy the cartidges to insert in to be able to read the books or even have it to where they are downloaded to them at a library it would mean no late fees no lost or stolen books to deal with. I love reading books and I love getting online so my two favorite things combined would be cool a ebook to be able to take with you everywhere even to bed to read on a smaller electronic media reader. Ahh the future...can't wait for one of these things to be invented to come out. I bet alot of people would love a handheld digital book. light weight and you can have a ton of books all in one little digital book media reader.
@JillianBillington (92)
• Australia
11 Apr 07
I can see the logic of cartridges and how they would work. In the distant future this may be the way to go.
I must admit though, I do lean towards the hope that there will always be books that you can curl up with, or drop in bathwater. The thought that one day the art of making paper will be lost is too much for me to contemplate.
@shadowwriter (28)
•
10 Apr 07
Trees can be replaced, then torn down and replaced again. I realy can't stand tee huggers. No offence intended.
@Savvynlady (3684)
• United States
11 Apr 07
Good question, but I truly hope not.I love the feel of a book in my hands; I don't mind the digital stuff, but I rather an actual book in my hand if you don't mind.
@JillianBillington (92)
• Australia
13 Apr 07
I have to aggree with about the feel of a book. I must admit, I love the smell of a book, especially the old ones, and ones with parchement pages or onion skin pages. There is something special about these, don't you think so.
@kaka135 (14916)
• Malaysia
10 Apr 07
I don't think books will be totally replaced by the digital media. Although sometimes it's good to save the trees and use less papers, I still prefer reading from a book, I like the feeling of sitting on my bed, flipping the book, and reading. It's more comfortable to read a book in this way, instead of turning on the computer and read any e-books from the screen. Moreover, I can bring a book anywhere I go, but I won't carry my laptop anywhere I go.
@JillianBillington (92)
• Australia
11 Apr 07
what about small digital readers, do you think they will take off
@Kalikala (433)
• United States
9 Apr 07
I hope not.
Although reading online would be great environmentally, it's just not the same. Sometimes I read books online on Project Gutenburg, and having them all there and accessable like that is great, but which sounds better: Curling up in bed with a good book, or curling up in bed with your laptop? Plus, turning pages is satisfying.
@JillianBillington (92)
• Australia
9 Apr 07
I,m noticing with this discussion that books are not just about reading the content. Its about a comfort thing, a feeling of contentment and security. Curling up in bed, safe and warm. Being able to transport oneself to another time and place through the pages.
@ragvinayak (4)
• India
10 Apr 07
ofcourse not, why becoz electronic media can never create an experience of wat we have while reading a paper book..
definitely we still find a huge number of books being sold.
@JillianBillington (92)
• Australia
11 Apr 07
So is reading about getting information, whether that be a story or research etc. Or is it about creating a feeling while reading.
@shadowwriter (28)
•
10 Apr 07
I hope not there's nothing better or more powerful than the written word. I realy hope you are wrong about society eventually having no need for paper books. There can be room for both, if not I will never move on from the written books.
@JillianBillington (92)
• Australia
11 Apr 07
I hope I am wrong too, I believe there is room for both. But there may come a time when we have to seriously look at replacing paper with something else. I hope its a long time off though.
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
9 May 07
I'm not sure if books will ever be replaced. I know too many people, myself included that enjoy having the hard copy of a book in our hands. Reading online and on the computer is fine and everything, but nothing really beats being able to open up the hard copy of a book.
@JillianBillington (92)
• Australia
9 Apr 07
True, but even for a true book lover, isn't a good book about the content of the book, not the book as an object
