# "Why I dropped ebooks" by Matt Quin



## Samuel Peralta (Dec 31, 2013)

Here's an interesting article on Medium

https://medium.com/philosophy-logic/463a3b650e19


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I say "to each: his own".

Though I will note that reading books on a tablet is a different experience to an eInk device which is, indeed, a different experience to a paper book.  Each person is allowed to choose what they like best.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

To each their own. I love that late at night when I really need something new to read, I can just push a few button on my Kindle. It doesn't matter that the stores are closed. I love that the Kindle is easy and comfortable to hold when reading in bed. I love the lack of eyestrain and the adjustable fonts. None of the things he mentions are ones I've experienced or found to be issues, but he has. So... he'll read using the medium he wants to while many of us will use another. Seems fair enough.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Sorry, but I've heard it all, and I'm totally, completely happy reading 99.9% of fiction and the vast majority of non-fiction on my Kindle (not tablet). For those who aren't that's fine. Let them go back to that most perfect of mediums, the sun-baked clay tablet, if they want. 

And no, I definitely do *not* like the smell of musty paper.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Now, I have mostly converted my paper library from a wall of paperbacks to a set of mostly hardcover copies of books I adore and want to keep around, I personally prefer not having to hold onto a book if I don't want to and the issues that bugged the author don't register for me as issues.  I really can't get behind him on this.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

I have never had his problems either.  I find ereaders lighter than books.  And I have had paperbacks fall apart.


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## Adrian Howell (Feb 24, 2013)

NogDog said:


> Let them go back to that most perfect of mediums, the sun-baked clay tablet, if they want.


Hey, if it was good enough for Moses...

And of print books, how could we ever live without them? Imagine replacing "The judge threw the book at him." with "The judge threw the ipad at him."


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## heidi_g (Nov 14, 2013)

NogDog said:


> zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
> 
> Let them go back to that most perfect of mediums, the sun-baked clay tablet, if they want.


Love that! My husband reads on his iPad. I was envious at first, cause everything looks so sharp and bright! But I wouldn't trade my paperwhite for any reader in the world (Okay, maybe I'll get a newer version someday!) After having an original Nook, a fire, THEN getting a paperwhite, I'm completely hooked. I thought the paperwhite would be too small, but it's just perfect.

Yes, to each his own


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## antonnaseton (Dec 10, 2013)

I don't see why we have to choose. I like both paper books and ebooks. I tend to read shorter works on my Kindle though.


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## Alessandra Kelley (Feb 22, 2011)

Surely this is old news by now.  Some people love ereaders; some don't.  

I love the smell and the feel and the heft of physical books, and the ease of finding places and flipping between pages.  

But late at night I love being able to read a self-lit device without disturbing my family, especially when traveling.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Here's what's curious to me:  how come there are no articles where people write about how they love paper books and discover eReading and find it to be even better for them? You know: acknowledging the pleasures of paper books but really excited over the advantages of an eReader, or even a tablet.  Does no one ever write articles like that?  (Probably not, they're too busy reading . . .   )

'Course, I don't troll the internet looking for such things either; I only ever see these sorts of articles because someone posts them here. And maybe an article such as I describe would never find it's way here because the first reaction of whomever finds it would be, "he's so right; glad he gets it" rather than "folks at kboards will disagree with this; I think I'll share."


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Here's what's curious to me: how come there are no articles where people write about how they love paper books and discover eReading and find it to be even better for them? You know: acknowledging the pleasures of paper books but really excited over the advantages of an eReader, or even a tablet. Does no one ever write articles like that? (Probably not, they're too busy reading . . .   )
> 
> 'Course, I don't troll the internet looking for such things either; I only ever see these sorts of articles because someone posts them here. And maybe an article such as I describe would never find it's way here because the first reaction of whomever finds it would be, "he's so right; glad he gets it" rather than "folks at kboards will disagree with this; I think I'll share."


Who would read that? We certainly wouldn't be talking about it here would we?

Internet Rule #1: you have to write for the extreme on one side or the other to create a stir and get more clicks. You don't have to believe it, just exaggerate it. Reasonable is boring

its kinda sad, really...


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Here's what's curious to me: how come there are no articles where people write about how they love paper books and discover eReading and find it to be even better for them? You know: acknowledging the pleasures of paper books but really excited over the advantages of an eReader, or even a tablet. Does no one ever write articles like that? (Probably not, they're too busy reading . . .   )
> 
> 'Course, I don't troll the internet looking for such things either; I only ever see these sorts of articles because someone posts them here. And maybe an article such as I describe would never find it's way here because the first reaction of whomever finds it would be, "he's so right; glad he gets it" rather than "folks at kboards will disagree with this; I think I'll share."


I am too darn busy to write that article. Heck I need to write reviews on the last 4 books I read. Two long ones and two short ones. But I guess just for you, I will write that article next week after I put my junk room back together.


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## RJ Kennett (Jul 31, 2013)

cinisajoy said:


> I am too darn busy to write that article. Heck I need to write reviews on the last 4 books I read. Two long ones and two short ones. But I guess just for you, I will write that article next week after I put my junk room back together.


You have far too much to do cin. Get someone to ghost write that article for ya.


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## Key (Jan 6, 2014)

I try not to drop ebooks because I don't want my Kindle to break.





*slinking away now*


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## Daniel Harvell (Jun 21, 2013)

Despite the idea at one time that e-readers would eventually replace print, I don't think that will happen any time soon. In fact, print is seeing a resurgence in certain areas (magazines, newspapers, etc.). As everyone says, it's largely a matter of personal preference. The current school-age generation won't have the same fondness as print as those my age and older, so we may see print decline again in a few years. I personally love tablets and the convenience (and cost) of e-books - clearly many others do too!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

If Star Trek is any predictor -- and they kind of are -- print books will still be around in the 24th century -- though considered antique and treated very carefully.


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## Robert Stanek (Nov 16, 2013)

cinisajoy said:


> I have never had his problems either. I find ereaders lighter than books. And I have had paperbacks fall apart.


Had to buy the Harry Potter set three times because the paperbacks kept falling apart. Each time after a single read. Ugh. I think I could have bought each of my Harry Potter readers an ereader with all the books for about the same price.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I can only say - I disagree. And I have felt all along that the best digital reading experience was done on dedicate e-readers. I have resisted, and always will, the move to tablet-style readers like the Fire and the iPad. I want an e-reader that is for reading. If want to do computer stuff - I use a computer.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I say "to each: his own".
> 
> Though I will note that reading books on a tablet is a different experience to an eInk device which is, indeed, a different experience to a paper book. Each person is allowed to choose what they like best.


Totally agree. I'm tired of people assuming that reading ebooks = reading on the iPad - or worse, people not understanding that eInk is totally different from a backlit screen and looks just like paper and ink.


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## LKWatts (May 5, 2011)

I got my first Kindle at Christmas and so far I love it. It's very easy to use


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## Bluebonnet (Dec 15, 2013)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Here's what's curious to me: how come there are no articles where people write about how they love paper books and discover eReading and find it to be even better for them? You know: acknowledging the pleasures of paper books but really excited over the advantages of an eReader, or even a tablet. Does no one ever write articles like that? (Probably not, they're too busy reading . . .   )
> 
> 'Course, I don't troll the internet looking for such things either; I only ever see these sorts of articles because someone posts them here. And maybe an article such as I describe would never find it's way here because the first reaction of whomever finds it would be, "he's so right; glad he gets it" rather than "folks at kboards will disagree with this; I think I'll share."


Here is a article that has many praises of e-books in the comments (total 311 comments).
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/books/review/how-do-e-books-change-the-reading-experience.html?_r=0

New York Times, Jan. 5, 2014, "How do e-books change the reading experience?" This article was written by print book authors Moshin Hamid and Anna Holmes. Hamid concedes that there are some advantages to e-books but is still mostly against them because he thinks electronics are too distracting and that technology is too "intrusive." Holmes dislikes them to the point that she tells people not to read the e-book versions of her own work. (She said her publisher created the e-book version; apparently she was against it, but had to agree to it.) Good grief, she's actually telling people to avoid reading her book because she wants to pout that she herself doesn't like e-books?

The comments include many reasons why readers like e-books, such as: ease of use for handicapped readers and readers with arthiritis in their hands; ability to immediately look up the definition of a word; easy to read for vision impaired people who need large type; the ability to carry hundreds of books around with you on your e-reader, to read while traveling or waiting someplace; ability to clean hundreds of old dusty books out of your house, saving space when you put them all on your e-reader.


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## johnlmonk (Jul 24, 2013)

My wife and I are only buying non-fiction in paper form now, and all fiction (except stuff we want signed) in ebook format.  Way more room in the house without so many bookcases.

I do love paper though, but the convenience of ebooks is just...convenient


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Bluebonnet said:


> Here is a article that has many praises of e-books in the comments (total 311 comments).
> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/books/review/how-do-e-books-change-the-reading-experience.html?_r=0
> 
> New York Times, Jan. 5, 2014, "How do e-books change the reading experience?" This article was written by print book authors Moshin Hamid and Anna Holmes. Hamid concedes that there are some advantages to e-books but is still mostly against them because he thinks electronics are too distracting and that technology is too "intrusive." Holmes dislikes them to the point that she tells people not to read the e-book versions of her own work. (She said her publisher created the e-book version; apparently she was against it, but had to agree to it.) Good grief, she's actually telling people to avoid reading her book because she wants to pout that she herself doesn't like e-books?
> ...


Oh, yeah. I've seen it in the comments a lot. Often expressed fairly obnoxiously, sadly. 

But I rarely see an article where the thesis is, "Ebooks are the best thing that's happened to me." It's more often "Ebooks are the death of publishing" or "Ebooks are far inferior to Paper".

But. . . . whatever. . . . . the opinions of others don't really affect me.


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## johnlmonk (Jul 24, 2013)

Ann in Arlington said:


> But I rarely see an article where the thesis is, "Ebooks are the best thing that's happened to me." It's more often "Ebooks are the death of publishing" or "Ebooks are far inferior to Paper".


I'm suddenly inspired to write a tongue-in-cheek attack on paper books


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## Lia Cooper (Jan 28, 2014)

the article has some interesting points, it doesn't rely too heavily on assigning a false sense of worth to a nostalgic sentiment and I like the point about Ownership (though I think it's easy enough to backup your materials if you worry about those sorts of things). but it does come down to personal preference. I find, personally, that I have the exact opposite reaction to several of his points.

I find reading hard copy books exhausting. I used to read paper books as a coping mechanism for insomnia. Something about printed text on paper pages and the act of holding that 600 pg novel puts me right to sleep even when i'm loving the story.

And I _like_ being able to switch between different activities. I like being able to read for half an hour, then working on my blog or responding to emails for an hour before I go back to my book--all on the same device (which for me is a laptop that never leaves me side). Maybe that's the millennial in me showing.

When I look at how much I read every day digitally (and I'm not talking news or blogs, I'm referring strictly to fiction) it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 100k-250k words/day. Versus maybe 20 printed pages?


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## jimmymc (Aug 12, 2010)

Long live the eBook- Unfortunately books on paper may get purged from time to time due to the sheer volume of space required for storage. Over the last half-century, I've lost a lot of irreplaceable books due to over zealous house keeping and other such disasters.

Hopefully, my ebooks will  survive until I'm no longer interested.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

I picked up a paperback the other day. It fell apart in my hand.


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## QuantumIguana (Dec 29, 2010)

He's absolutely free to read in whatever format he wishes, and for whatever reasons. That doesn't mean that anyone else has to find his reasons compelling. When I read a paper book, I find myself wanting to touch the paper to pop up the definition of words I'm not familiar with. I enjoy being able to re-size the font. I can set the Kindle on the table and read while I eat dinner. Maybe they aren't important to him, but they are to me. Then there's the thing of an entire library in the palm of my hand.

I don't find setting up a Kindle to be at all arduous. It's quite easy, really. Complaints about the difficulty of setting it up just sounds like someone really looking for something to complain about.

I went into a bookstore recently, and took my Kindle with me. A vampire may not be able to cross running water, but I was able to step through the door of the bookstore. I spent $10 for a copy of "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" that was printed during WWII. Having an e-reader doesn't preclude me from also buying paper books. I have probably around 1,000 paper books in my house, and I haven't been compelled to burn them just yet. 

Tablets have apps that come with distractions, sure. But why be so quick to dismiss turning off these notifications? Just turn them off, problem solved. If the temptation to play Angry Birds is too great to resist, then that's not the e-book's fault. You could always get a dedicated e-reader that would be less distracting.

The tactile experience is a matter of opinion. My hand gets tired from holding a paper book open. A large e-book is quite heavy in paper, but doesn't add any weight as an e-book. A paper copy of Don Quixote was quite intimidating, but perfectly manageable as an e-book, I might never have read it if I didn't have an e-reader.

The author says "I tried to join the revolution but the most meaningful part of the book reading experience was obfuscated by the troubleshooting, proprietary and commercial nonsense that went along with it." The most meaningful part of the book is right there in the e-book: the words. I spend very little time troubleshooting my Kindle, and the proprietary format doesn't impact me. I don't know what he means by "commercial nonsense", I buy a book, I read it, whether it is paper or e-book. He may have a bit of a point with not being able to freely share the book, but that doesn't impact the reading of it.


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## Mark Young (Dec 13, 2010)

I am a Kindle addict, though I go back and forth in my reading habits. I enjoy both worlds.


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