Roxanne Smolen's Blog - Posts Tagged "warming"
Ebooks vs Paperbacks
I read an interesting article about turning ebooks into paperbacks. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.u...
It describes a machine that can print and bind a book in about five minutes. So you go into a bookstore, request a book, and have it printed while you wait.
Some people envision a future where bookstores will have pamphlets or blurb cards on their shelves instead of books. They will have a machine like this and print only after the book is sold, removing the need for inventory. Other people expect bookstores to be done away with altogether. They believe consumers will have printing machines in their homes and print at their leisure.
I hope both views are wrong. To me, the appeal of ebooks is in having no paper at all. I would much rather read from a screen, be it a computer, a mobile reader, or a phone, than to continue depleting natural resources. Trees are necessary for life. You want to counter global warming? Plant a tree!
When I voice my opinion, I am often met with comments such as "I just like the feel of a book in my hand," and "I love the smell of old books." These are romantic notions. To which I say, Get over it!
We are all resistant to change, and the progression from paperbacks to digital media is slow. But I think machines that switch us back to print is a mistake. Time might be better spent finding better ways to power our electronic gizmos so we don't pollute our landfills with batteries. (Recycle, you say? Don't get me started. That is another subject.)
It describes a machine that can print and bind a book in about five minutes. So you go into a bookstore, request a book, and have it printed while you wait.
Some people envision a future where bookstores will have pamphlets or blurb cards on their shelves instead of books. They will have a machine like this and print only after the book is sold, removing the need for inventory. Other people expect bookstores to be done away with altogether. They believe consumers will have printing machines in their homes and print at their leisure.
I hope both views are wrong. To me, the appeal of ebooks is in having no paper at all. I would much rather read from a screen, be it a computer, a mobile reader, or a phone, than to continue depleting natural resources. Trees are necessary for life. You want to counter global warming? Plant a tree!
When I voice my opinion, I am often met with comments such as "I just like the feel of a book in my hand," and "I love the smell of old books." These are romantic notions. To which I say, Get over it!
We are all resistant to change, and the progression from paperbacks to digital media is slow. But I think machines that switch us back to print is a mistake. Time might be better spent finding better ways to power our electronic gizmos so we don't pollute our landfills with batteries. (Recycle, you say? Don't get me started. That is another subject.)
