Comments on: The Loss of the Artifact: My Grandfather’s Frost http://chamberfour.com/2009/03/04/the-loss-of-the-artifact-my-grandfathers-frost/ for readers of books and ebooks Mon, 21 May 2012 00:31:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Sean Clark http://chamberfour.com/2009/03/04/the-loss-of-the-artifact-my-grandfathers-frost/comment-page-1/#comment-108 Sean Clark Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:44:43 +0000 http://chamberfour.com/?p=1487#comment-108 Don't be sorry, thanks for writing something. In a lot of ways you're right on. I feel the same way about books, and I don't think I'll ever surrender my library of paper books. That said, if you take an ereader sporting electronic ink for a spin, I think you'll be surprised how natural it feels and how quickly you forget you're reading on a machine. I think what you say about the snobbery is wise. I also don't think deadtree editions will ever die both for that reason, nostalgia, and in many cases practical reasons where paper is better, safer, or necessary. Still, where this is going to hit first and foremost, as is already evidenced by the Kindle's success despite its flaws, is in the journalism space. A lot of print periodicals are being forced to digitize or fold. There are lots of reasons for this including user demand and production costs--especially crippling for the smaller fries. Scoring the students assigned English reading will be the second wave, and the most lucrative for whoever does it right first. This will also be the tipping point. I still have some of my favorite books from my old English classes, even as far back as high school. I don't think things will be any different for future generations of lit dorks. But for those who grow up reading on screens and are educated on them, reading digital books will be second nature. Then we deadtree readers will be in the same boat as those who buy new albums on LP. Don’t be sorry, thanks for writing something.

In a lot of ways you’re right on. I feel the same way about books, and I don’t think I’ll ever surrender my library of paper books. That said, if you take an ereader sporting electronic ink for a spin, I think you’ll be surprised how natural it feels and how quickly you forget you’re reading on a machine.

I think what you say about the snobbery is wise. I also don’t think deadtree editions will ever die both for that reason, nostalgia, and in many cases practical reasons where paper is better, safer, or necessary. Still, where this is going to hit first and foremost, as is already evidenced by the Kindle’s success despite its flaws, is in the journalism space. A lot of print periodicals are being forced to digitize or fold. There are lots of reasons for this including user demand and production costs–especially crippling for the smaller fries.

Scoring the students assigned English reading will be the second wave, and the most lucrative for whoever does it right first. This will also be the tipping point. I still have some of my favorite books from my old English classes, even as far back as high school. I don’t think things will be any different for future generations of lit dorks. But for those who grow up reading on screens and are educated on them, reading digital books will be second nature. Then we deadtree readers will be in the same boat as those who buy new albums on LP.

]]> By: Shuchi http://chamberfour.com/2009/03/04/the-loss-of-the-artifact-my-grandfathers-frost/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Shuchi Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:53:14 +0000 http://chamberfour.com/?p=1487#comment-107 I could give you a long list of reasons why I prefer a book to an ebook. And most are sentimental. But the least sentimental reason on that list is this: at the end of a day spent in front of the computer for work (and for correspondence, and to schedule appointments, and to read up to the minute news...you get my point), reading a good book is an escape. And reading on a screen is increasingly more associated with the things I "have" to do in my daily life. So to fully escape, I don't want the bright glare of a screen, I want the dull backdrop of recycled paper. I've tried reading books on my iphone (Stanza) on the way home from work, and I just can't do it. The same way I'd rather watch a television program on TV, or listen to a radio program on the radio- I'd rather read a book in book form. I'm not ready to surrender the control I have when I have a book in my hands. Continually flipping back and forth through pages, seeing how many pages I have left in a chapter, reading the last word of the novel -all those quirky habits I feel I'll be forced to give up because of the restrictions of an ereader. I'm not saying that there isn't a place in the world for ereaders, hulu, and podcasts - because clearly there is - I just get nervous when we start to say that is the direction publishing is going in. Where I see happening is ereaders being valuable for students who are assigned reading in English class. And buying books will be for those interested in leisure reading. The two will coexist, with maybe the balance eventually tipping towards the ereader's favor, but the deadtree version still retaining some sort of power. Also. Just from my couple of months in the magazine world. There is a prestige associated with having your name in print, and it is only becoming more prestigious as space in magazines is becoming more limited. As long as the snobbery exists, I don't see any of the bigtime publishers giving up their deadtree editions anytime soon. Sorry this is so long. I could give you a long list of reasons why I prefer a book to an ebook. And most are sentimental. But the least sentimental reason on that list is this: at the end of a day spent in front of the computer for work (and for correspondence, and to schedule appointments, and to read up to the minute news…you get my point), reading a good book is an escape. And reading on a screen is increasingly more associated with the things I “have” to do in my daily life. So to fully escape, I don’t want the bright glare of a screen, I want the dull backdrop of recycled paper. I’ve tried reading books on my iphone (Stanza) on the way home from work, and I just can’t do it. The same way I’d rather watch a television program on TV, or listen to a radio program on the radio- I’d rather read a book in book form. I’m not ready to surrender the control I have when I have a book in my hands. Continually flipping back and forth through pages, seeing how many pages I have left in a chapter, reading the last word of the novel -all those quirky habits I feel I’ll be forced to give up because of the restrictions of an ereader.

I’m not saying that there isn’t a place in the world for ereaders, hulu, and podcasts – because clearly there is – I just get nervous when we start to say that is the direction publishing is going in. Where I see happening is ereaders being valuable for students who are assigned reading in English class. And buying books will be for those interested in leisure reading. The two will coexist, with maybe the balance eventually tipping towards the ereader’s favor, but the deadtree version still retaining some sort of power.

Also. Just from my couple of months in the magazine world. There is a prestige associated with having your name in print, and it is only becoming more prestigious as space in magazines is becoming more limited. As long as the snobbery exists, I don’t see any of the bigtime publishers giving up their deadtree editions anytime soon.

Sorry this is so long.

]]> By: Nico Vreeland http://chamberfour.com/2009/03/04/the-loss-of-the-artifact-my-grandfathers-frost/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Nico Vreeland Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:52:22 +0000 http://chamberfour.com/?p=1487#comment-106 I agree that something aesthetic and visceral is lost in the switch from paper book to electronic book. An ebook is relatively charmless compared to an old first edition hardcover, just as playing an mp3 is relatively charmless compared to playing an LP on a phonograph, or processing words on a computer is relatively charmless compared to clacking out a manuscript on an Olivetti portable manual typewriter with a nice fresh ribbon. But I'm not so sure that the main thing missing isn't simply nostalgia. The feeling of reading an ebook is nearly identical to reading a paper book, just like the feeling of listening to an mp3 is nearly identical to listening to a record. And the gains, once we abandon DRM and format-fighting, will be significant, and practical. Owning the same books for the rest of your life, for one thing. It is a cold feeling, progress. I agree with you there. But the alternative is stagnation, and willful stagnation feels stubborn and pointless. And the other side of progress is excitement, whereas the other side of stagnation is the same. I agree that something aesthetic and visceral is lost in the switch from paper book to electronic book. An ebook is relatively charmless compared to an old first edition hardcover, just as playing an mp3 is relatively charmless compared to playing an LP on a phonograph, or processing words on a computer is relatively charmless compared to clacking out a manuscript on an Olivetti portable manual typewriter with a nice fresh ribbon.

But I’m not so sure that the main thing missing isn’t simply nostalgia. The feeling of reading an ebook is nearly identical to reading a paper book, just like the feeling of listening to an mp3 is nearly identical to listening to a record.

And the gains, once we abandon DRM and format-fighting, will be significant, and practical. Owning the same books for the rest of your life, for one thing.

It is a cold feeling, progress. I agree with you there. But the alternative is stagnation, and willful stagnation feels stubborn and pointless.

And the other side of progress is excitement, whereas the other side of stagnation is the same.

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