Poll: E-Book vs Paperback

[Matthew Keppers]

As others have said, there are pros and cons to both. I never thought I would care much for an E-reader, but since I have bought my nook, I have changed my mind. Having a physical copy is nice and all, but when you start trying to fit the hundreds of books you have accumulated over the years into a small studio apartment, it doesn't work very well. Something others have not mentioned are all the free books you can download on e-reader also, quite a nice feature I think. There are also the enhanced features provided by some books. For me, hearing Tolkien read and sing certain parts of The Hobbit actually added quite a bit for me. Also, using a Nook makes me feel like I am on Star Trek, but maybe that's just me.

On the downside though, unless you know the specific book you want, finding a book can be a pain, since it seems just about anyone can put something in the store, so it is cluttered with a bunch of random garbage. I am still trying to find a good Sherlock Holmes collection, so I can own all the stories finally. You can also miss out on the interesting things people have done with the book covers to make them unique. And of course you have books that are not yet available on the e-reader, and may never be.

Really, it comes down to personal preference, but next time I move, I think my back will thank me for buying an e-reader.

 

[Zakarath]

As an avid reader, I love my nook. Aye, paper books have a certain panache, but being able to keep a library in my pocket is very nice. Also, being just a few button-presses away from instantly reading any new book I want, rather than needing to drive to the store, is an advantage not to be disregarded. Plus, I've found that often the electronic versions of books are cheaper than their solid counterparts, especially when the only solid version is the hardcover.
Though I was somewhat sentimental about paper books when e-books first began their rise, I must say that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

 

[sailor_960]

Indifferent in as much as I read both. If I can't find a book on the kindle library, it's off to the local book store who can probably order it. Case and point, none of the Black Library is available as an e-book.

 

[aba1]

I prefer regular books mostly because if they support more jobs and if we all went digital hundreds of thousands of people would be out a job which is the last thing we need in this economy plus the books are nice to look at on the shelf and you can lend them to people as well. On the other hand the paper industry is killing the environment and I have to imagine if all books went digital a huge amount of the demand for paper would be killed right then and there plus ebooks are easy to carry and collect.

 

[Jynthor]

Paperback.
I tried reading some stuff on my PC but eventually I get a headache, which is something you don't want, obviously.

 

[Living Contradiction]

I don't have to turn a book on, feed it batteries, worry if it falls on the floor, or curse because the service provider decided I didn't need that pesky copy of something I'd paid for clogging up the hard drive. On the other hand, I don't have to have a bookshelf for an e-reader (allowing me to have other interesting things taking up space in my abode like paintings and furniture), the price for a book is about the same no matter which format I use (a hearty heigh-ho "fuck you" to the publishing industry for that one), and carrying a slim reader instead of several tomes the size of dictionaries to class makes all the difference to my feeble mortal spine.

However, having a pulp and paper text will win hands down for me owing to an experience I never thought I'd have. I was sitting on an airplane, happily reading my way through a tasty novel while waiting for the inevitable takeoff, and next to me sat a businessman with an e-reader, going over something dense and statistical as he waited for the same. A stewardess came around and said politely, "I'm sorry, sir. You're going to have to turn off your book."

I smiled then and I'm smiling now. Hooray for old technology and its ability get around modern-day safety measures.

 

[Woodsey]

Indifferent. The screen on my Kindle does nothing to me, and not having to wrestle against pages is always nice. Not about to complain if I have to read something in physical form, though.

 

[OtherSideofSky]

I find the two roughly equivalent, as long as the ebook is on a decent e-ink screen, rather than an LCD (seriously, why do people do this to themselves?). I read a lot, so I've been trying to get as many books, especially less "serious" novels I'll probably only read once, on my Kindle to save money and shelf space (I've converted every wall of my room, plus my closet, into bookshelves and I'm still always running out of places to put things).

 

[UniversalRonin]

I think that both have their place. I use an ebook reader (on my mobile) for buses/ trains/ that kinda stuff, but sitting around on a lazy Sunday afternoon, nothing beats a nice paper book.

 

[White-Death]

E-Book devices hurt my eyes,no matter what setting I choose.

Capthca:Final Answer?
Umm...Paperbacks for me,they smell nice and I like having the weight in my hands.

 

[sailor_960]

Indifferent in as much as I read both. If I can't find a book on the kindle library, it's off to the local book store who can probably order it. Case and point, none of the Black Library is available as an e-book.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/ebooks

You mean these ones? Or something different?

Thanks, I was actually referring exclusively to the Kindle library. I guess I should have done some more digging.

 

[soren7550]

I prefer to read a physical copy over a digital one. For me, the advantages are:

- Doesn't hurt my eyes (unless I'm reading a lot in poor lighting)
- Don't have to be super careful with it (although I do have to be more careful with a few due to their age/how hard it would be to get a new copy)
- Feels nicer to hold
- Don't have to worry about its battery life
- Can't borrow eBooks from the library
- Much easier to go back and read parts than an eBook

That's just me though.

Capatcha: blinded by science
Not in this case.

 

[teqrevisited]

The convenience of carrying an entire library around with me is nice but at home I prefer to read from paper. Also: the smell of old paper.

 

[Comocat]

They both have their advantages. With an e-book you always have your entire library wherever you go. Plus you dont need to worry about storage. E-books are a lot cheaper as well. Plus a real e-reader like the Kindle is actually fairly book like, unlike an iPad app.

On the otherhand, you dont need to turn a book off on a plane though, and there is just something nice about the way paper feels and smells.

 

[Artina89]

I prefer paperback/hardback books over an e-book. I like having a physical copy of a book, and I don't have to worry about battery life. I also really enjoy going into book stores and browsing because sometimes you can find something that grabs your attention. For example, I was browsing in Waterstones and I found a book called Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, an author I had never heard of before. I was intrigued, so I bought it and read it. Now I am on the 3rd book in her Clockwork century series. I have the feeling that if I had an e-book I might have missed out.

 

[Tiger King]

I moved in August. I had eleven and a half boxes of books to move. Combined, they weighed more than twice what I do. I told myself "Never again". As with games, movies, and music, I am completely over physical copies. Digital is vastly superior. I no longer have to carry two books in my purse, in case I finish my current one. My iPad can store dozens of books, plus a movie or two and some comic books, if I want a change of pace. If I want a new book, I buy it on Amazon and I am reading it minutes later, not waiting for it to be delivered/spending an hour driving to and from the nearest bookshop. If I never buy another physical book again, I'll be quite pleased.

Hear that Games Workshop? I want your rulebooks in e-book form!

I wish they had warhammer novels in the kindle store, blacklibrary isn't as easy to download from, also I always forget my login details

 

[War Penguin]

I prefer physical copies. There's just something to the weight and the feel of paper in my hands that I adore when I read a physical book. Or maybe I'm getting older and I don't like change. Odd for someone who's only twenty.

 

[SpAc3man]

I love having books but an e-reader is just so much more convenient. E-books are a lot cheaper and you can carry around thousands at a time if you wanted.

I don't have my own e-reader but I use my girlfriend's Kindle every now and then. It is really nice to read on. The screen on an e-reader causes no more strain than an actual book as it doesn't have a backlight like a regular screen so any concern you have about staring at the screen is unfounded.