Book-tag Evasion

A clay-tablet doesn’t give you as much information as a book... doesn’t sensually feel or smell as good, or rest as warmly in your hand or on your body, as a book... and cannot be carried “in the field” as a paperback (or even hardcover) can.

A hard drive is limited by its size (however larger than a clay-tablet or individual book -- but why carry information that you DON’T need, such as other files?)... limited by the ‘power’ it requires: it must be plugged into electricity, or if a notebook, can be read only as long as the battery lasts... is uncomfortable to read from, certainly for a long period of time it is hard on the eyes... and is subject to vagaries such as dust, water, extreme cold and heat which books can be recovered from (except outright burning, and we know that burning of books is forbidden -- at least in a libertarian society!).

Books, on the other hand, brought humans out of the Dark Ages... taught us how to read and write... they can be referred to time and again for reference and pleasure... *more importantly* paper brings us to the current development: the printing press now converted to personal printers, copiers and scanners in the home and kiosks everywhere, allows anyone, including Simon Jester himself, to operate without being tagged or touched by legislation. We have come full circle from Gutenberg’s time: the original printing press allowed that same freedom.

Please don’t bury books yet: they are, in my bookcase, as aesthetically appealing as a painting on the wall -- and cheaper to own as well.
My hard drive is for information; my books are for learning. And pleasure.

:laugh: And what an intriguing evasion that is!

Pat, I agree with you that books have tangible qualities that can be hard to separate from the joy of reading itself. A few years back I was reunited with some books I'd loved as a child, and preserved in the pages was evidence of my adoration -- multiple peanut-butter-and-jelly stains on many pages. Seeing those stains, and learning their origins, tickled the snolfs too.

But many books I own, or have owned, I'd be just as happy to have available in electronic format. I don't need the dead-tree form, and it's much heavier and harder to move around. I'd like to have much more of a choice in format (why not publish in hardcover, paper, and electronic form all at once, and satisfy many more customers?) from the outset.

I'm always amused by people who still snobbishly look down their noses at guys like me who would rather watch it on TV (whether it's news, science, home improvement, or other information) rather than read about it in a book. As Rodney Dangerfield once said, "Who's got the time? With a movie I'm in and out in 2 hours."

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with books, but in the computor and information age, books just can't compete. Particularly when you're usually only getting one scholar's opinion, as opposed to several...and it takes days to take it all in.

Call me a dullard if you want...

"I'd like to have much more of a choice in format (why not publish in hardcover, paper, and electronic form all at once, and satisfy many more customers?) from the outset."

Yes, that's the best of all worlds -- and I'd probably utilize all formats, for the best each has to offer.

Masculiste, the electronic media also offers "one scholar's opinion" as well. You have to search -- and think -- just as hard to find an unbiased opinion online (ESPECIALLY in TV, which I never mentioned), as you do in books.

I would also like to have the choice of reading a book in a paper or digital format. There are some books which are just so much easier to use when they're easy to access on a computer.

But there are some books which will never,for me, be as pleasant to read and watch as the paper versions of art albums, map atlases, big classic novels- Can you imagine Jane Austen on the screen? (although the BBC mini-series of Pride And Prejudice, with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, comes close to a perfect adaptation).

I wonder what you think about this: that paper books are better for children to read and learn?
Is it better to read through pages and pages of dictionaries and map atlases and lexicons when they're in the traditional format?
It sure seems to me it's much easier on the little eyes. And one's more likely stumble on to some unexpected information when you're reading a book.
Or not?
What do you think, Sunni?
I know my child plays quite a bit on the computer, or watches Dora on the tv, and even thought he uses really cool eductaional games, there is a big sense of relief I get from him when we sit down to a book.
I was a book worm when young (well, still am as much as time permits me)and would certainly like to pass on the same tradition to my little guy.

Masculiste, I'd be reluctant to call someone who's actively searching for information a dullard, so you're safe here. :)

Monika, before I answer your questions, I want to thank you for answering one of mine. I read Jane Austen's works long before their recent 10 minutes of fame, and have avoided any video presentation out of fear they'd not do her lovely characters justice. Sounds like that isn't the case for at least one ...

As far as what might be "easier" for children to learn, I honestly don't know. I think what's easier might be more a function of the adult's competence and comfort, more than anything else. The snolfs practice their letters and reading both via computer (both online and with educational software), and by reading dead trees with us. The medium doesn't seem to make much difference -- it's their enjoyment and the willingness of someone to help them that seems to count for much more.

I think that mixing formats actually enhances the learning experience. My son read books (or was read to), wrote/semi-programmed on a computer (Commodore 64), and played electronic and board games of math, words, geography, history and music all during the same early age period -- which not only taught him basic English, math, social studies and spelling (plus musical notes/appreciation) at an early age, but reinforced them in his real life. (He also learned electronics itself from hands-on experience, repairing my turntable at the age of ten.)

The thing he had real trouble with was handwriting: electronic formats are NOT friendly to handwriting or penmanship! That has to be learned the old-fashioned way.

Ever the contrarian.... Thank you Skeptical Man for responding to the "tag."

Like you seem, I am also not a big believer in "intellectual property," but that isn't really the only underlying issue this time. If At the Earth's Core had been only on clay tablets I might never have known it, but now it is available on disk drives.

I also like electronic forms such as disk drives and DVDs, etc. What are we all doing here if not exercising/expressing our enjoyment of such things?

However, when the electrical power is off, my book's pages still turn. When the "power grid" is replaced with more decentralized forms, I will feel more secure about leaving my books with the clay tablets.

Till then I still enjoy books; but also DVDs, CDs, broadband connections, the web and disk drives (along with other things I've missed mentioning).