Digital Books versus Hard Copy Books - Which do you prefer? Why?

[Joy H., Group Founder]

So far, I prefer hard copy books. I haven't been able to accustom myself to reading a book in a digital format, e.g., on my computer screen via my Word program.

However, I haven't experienced Kindle, the e-book reader which you hold in your hand as you would a book. Below is a link to video demonstrations: ====>
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FI73MA/?...

Note that there are several different videos you can watch at the webpage, each telling about different aspects of the Kindle.

There are quite a few advantages to a kindle, as you will see in the videos. One of the advantages that interests me is that the Kindle provides access to Wikipedia. However, I get my books free from the library. If I used the Kindle, I would have to pay for each book. That's the drawback for me.

What's your opinion of digital books versus hard cover books?

[Jim]

I don't like the form factor or limitations of electronic books. Like you, Joy, I prefer a hard copy. I like to be able to hold a book with one hand, prop it on my lap & put it in my lunch box. I also like to be able to flip back & forth between pages easily. Kindle is getting closer.

There are some promising technologies out there that may get us a decent electronic book soon. The new 'paper' screens are getting better resolution & contrast. They're still monochrome only, which is normally fine for me. Some books must have color, though. I do like the Internet connection, if it works, which it wouldn't out where I live.

[Becky]

I love the feel & smell of a book....I love a book store or a library. I could not ever see myself having a kindle or some other such item.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

If, after the initial cost of the Kindle, the e-books themselves were free, I would buy the Kindle in a minute.

Seems to me that the Kindle *can* be held in your hand and carried around like a book. From what I saw on the video mentioned above, navigation between pages is simple.

I wonder if it has a search feature for when you want to go back and find a quote or when you want to go back and reread a section about a character. That would be fabulous!

I wonder if it has copy and paste. Hmmm, I doubt that!

Since the books will never be free, my first statement stands... that I like borrowing free books from the library.

[Jim]

I understand the Kindle can read text documents. You can get a lot of those free & many times there are special Kindle editions now. Good books, although the legal ones are for those books that are out of copyright only, usually.

I'm not sure, but I think pdf files, at least some, have to be converted for Kindle. PDF2LRF is available for that, but it can be dicey from what I've heard. (Haven't paid much attention since I don't have one.)

For legal, free audio & text books, here's a few good sites:
www.gutenberg.org - Project Gutenberg
www.archive.org - the Internet Archive has both, plus free old movies & more.
librivox.org & audiobooksforfree.com has free audio books, although you need to pay for better quality & one file. These free sites are often interconnected.

There are other sites that have free books. Check out the publishers, they often have some freebies in various formats.

There's a ton of proprietary formats floating around, such as Microsoft Reader, so be careful what you get. That reader is free, although they have DRM on some files now. I don't know if Kindle will handle any of these types or if there are converters, though.

I have a ton of free text books. I generally don't read a book that way, but it can be a very handy way to look something up, especially in a big book like the Christian Bible or something. Sometimes I'll read some of a book that way just to get the feel of an author, see if I might like the book or if its worth buying.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Thanks for the information on this, Jim. Are most of the references you made items that would be read on my computer screen? I've tried reading free books that way and I don't enjoy it.

That's why the Kindle interests me... because it's a small separate device altogether.

Below is a link to a Business Week article which looked interesting.
It's called: "Here Comes Kindle 2.0" ===>
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http://www.businessweek.com/the_threa...
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[Jim]

Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "Thanks for the information on this, Jim. Are most of the references you made items that would be read on my computer screen? I've tried reading free books that way and I don't enjoy it."

Some are both Kindle & computer, some just computer. I agree that I don't like it as well as a book. It is handy sometimes, though.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

No doubt about how handy it is, Jim. I'm looking up things all the time. The more I learn, the curiouser I get. Curiouser, curiouser, and curiouser. :) So stimulating!

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http://www.alice-in-wonderland.biz/cu...
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:)