This kind of topic has come up so many times in the past; every time a new form of media comes along there are people that mourn the previous one. Vinyl to CDs, CDs to MP3, DVDs to digital downloads, etc.

I've mainly been one to push for the newer technology. It's cheaper, more convenient and I can access far easier. But for me, books have always been different.

There's just something about a book that a CD, DVD, or game can't match. Vinyl may have come close if I was older. But I love everything about books. The weight, the papery smell, the way a filled bookshelf looks, the satisifaction of sliding a finished book back onto the shelf and pulling out a new one.

I do see the appeal of e-readers, and I can see myself buying one down the line. But I can't ever see myself giving up on paper books. Games? Yes. Music? Sure. Movies? Definately. But books? I don't think so.

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on this.

I'm not a big reader, and I don't own a suitable E-Reader, (unless you count my iPhone 4; iBooks and whatnot) but I do think that E-Readers will really take off in the near future. With a Kindle/Tablet you can fit a room full of books in a desk drawer. Not to mention the environmental advantages and features that a paper book can't provide. No, they might not have the same feel, but I'm positive that people would adapt to E-Readers over time. That said, for a while yet there will certainly be people who don't want to use an E-Reader for whatever reason.

I love my Kindle :wub: No need to clutter my shelf (or closets), no need for bookmarks, can buy without ever leaving my house (or my bed, for that matter), write notes, browse internet. Smaller, easier to use, holds thousands of books. However, I also love the physicality of a well made book (I even bind my own). I love the smell, and its more convenient for books with pictures or with complex formatting. A good hardback is just a pleasure to look at.

A full bookshelf will always look cooler than an e-reader on the desk.

E-readers are nice for certain things, like textbooks and news/magazine subscriptions, but for actual books I will always prefer... actual books.

i hate them. To me, it takes away the entire experience. Digital distribution in general takes away a part of the experience imo.

There's certainly a place for e-readers, but I do not believe that they'll ever completely replace real books. When I go to the university library I can still borrow and read books that were printed over two hundred years ago. I don't think that two hundred years from now technology will be compatible with today's e-readers, but people will still be able to read this day's paper printed books.

I love my Kindle. It's convenient, easy to carry around, is great when I'm on holiday and my copy of Asimov goes right there But it doesn't stop me also reading physical books.

I don't see it as any different from going from digital distribution in games tbh...

Yup, as both are chock-full of DRM

E-readers are nice, but I prefer paper books for my reading for the most part for several reasons:

1. I can take a regular book anywhere without fear of losing more than $10-20 at the very most if it gets lost or stolen, as opposed to a few hundred dollars with an E-reader.

2. A book stands up to a lot more rough treatment than most electronics, meaning I don't have to worry about dropping it or something.

3. Don't abuse them too much and a book can last for a very long time (some of the books sitting on the shelf behind me are ten years old and still in great shape), whereas with an E-reader (or anything that stores data electronically for that matter), the lifespan of your collection is only as long as the lifespan of whatever it's stored on. Once the e-reader craps out, you have either lost your collection or you have to spend a few hundred bucks for a new one so you can re-download everything.

Digital distribution has its place, but as with most things, including my games and music, I prefer physical mediums.

I bet e-readers will become more popular, but there will always be a place for books.

in the year 2100, a well preserved book from today will be perfectly readable to someone who uses the same language as the author, whereas the files used by todays e-readers will probably be incompatible with future electronics.

Kind of reminds me of Kasumi's book collection in Mass Effect 2

The death of paper books can't come soon enough. Of course publisher paranoia will have to die first, that may take a while.

I use the kindle app on my iPod all the time, however an actual kindle is pretty low down on the list of 'things I'd spend ￡100 on'. People are always saying that you can't beat a physical book, but I've been reading one for the first time in months this week and I miss my kindle app already - portability, highlighting, bookmarks, built in dictionary, etc. I'm sure physical books will stick around for a long time yet but as tablets and e-readers become more popular, they'll definitely have a reduced market share.

On a semi-related note, why does the kindle have a qwerty keyboard? What do you use it for?