Will BOOKS ever go out of style in the face of Internet Age?

[aya_diwata]

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Amen![br]Posted on: March 01, 2008, 08:36:49 AM

hehe.. I remember reading Les Miserables. The smell was so strong that I had to write a poem about it. It was a really old copy - the pages were yellow and the edges were stained. I read it while I was on the boat, at the railings.. I hear the sound of the sea. It was a moment to read about Jean Valjean.

@aya_diwata: Yes indeed there is something about the smell of a book. I find it hard to explain though, basta all I know is its one of the most gratifying things for me to read something that has a smell other than that of computer equipment. I'm not making any sense at all am I? LOLZ!!!

Of course you do. That's why it's the special thing about books - no mathematical solution needed to explain it.

[b|tcH_g0dd3sS]

now if only someone can invent paper that didn't come from trees...

Indeed! that's the challenge isn't it? Books come from trees and the more books we print, the more trees we cut down.

Of course I don't want books to go obsolete but the consequence of continuing to print books poses a greater risk for all of us. again, thinking too much into the future.

If ever they go out of style, my kids will have a fortune in books.

[paper]

Far too many still hold books in high regard so I don't see it coming out of style soon.
I agree with most, there's a different quality to having a book in hand.
Books rule!

[koontz_circle]

people tend to go for downloadable ebooks because they're free.. but books will never be "old school"
accdg to a character from buffy (his mentor, the librarian) - there really is something special about the books that computers cannot replace. It's the smell =)

smells so good..

[r0mm3L]

kong expensive ra kaau ang books, ad2 man gyud sa ebook ang mga tao

kasagaran sa mga expensive nga books kay kanang IT/networking nga books

microsoft press sa books, cisco press

mga tag 2k+ mana sila

so ad2 nlang sa ebook nganong mo gasto pa man

[rodsky]

People sometimes miss the point--the issue is one of time rather than convenience--paper has a lifespan. Books inside conservatories and museums sometimes crumble to dust upon exposure to air.

Electronic information can simply be stored digitally. Thus, the book bought from the bookstore will become a thing of the past (simply because it is prone to decay), with these two new emerging technologies:

A. True home printing press, that automatically prints e-books on recycled or synthetic paper via thermal methods (i.e. no toner or ink required, only heat) and automatically binds it the way you want to bind it.

B. Flexible LCD screens, that look, feel and behave like paper, but you can scroll down on it to read the entire book.

Both could be a reality soon, given the right technologies

-RODION

[koontz_circle]

so the next thing we'll be having is eLibrary?

[rodsky]

so the next thing we'll be having is eLibrary?

There is already an eLibrary in existence--the internet--it's just too disorganized now for the average person to be considered useful. But the internet will evolve, and one day, anybody can read anything he/she wants to. Watch this video...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xj8ZadKgdC0

Take note that this video is just a "sketch", so don't take it too seriously...but it has indeed, many important facts that can lead to real developments in terms of books, media, music, art, etc. in the near future.

The thing about books is it has this "possessive" nature--you feel better "owning" one. This is why some people react to the concept of PDF's--it's so easy to copy and distribute literary works digitally that some people think it threatens the reason for their collecting physical books. This also became true for people who took pride in collecting records and CDs, that their collections almost became meaningless because you can just put their entire roomfull collections of records and CDs into a tiny USB Flash Drive.

Books will remain books--the nature of their physical existence and use is what's going to change. Think about it--a clay tablet with weird depressed triangular markings were books to the Sumerians in the ancient times...I wonder if they envisioned bound paper with printed marks as the books of the future...

BTW, examples of electronic paper being researched now...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=i1RB9hx3QwU&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FPcDgDHfs-o&feature=related

Here are some working true ebooks
http://youtube.com/watch?v=N_m36Gr4jzM&feature=related

-RODION

[cebu1029]

there is still a beauty with having a good book in your hands!

[caphook]

i do hope paper books won't go out because staring at computers make my eyes and head ache. besides i can't put a bookmarker and come back to the same page