Comments on: E-book the letter http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/ words & music Tue, 20 May 2008 17:54:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Michele http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-1217 Michele Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:33:24 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-1217 I read my e-books on my legacy Palm Tungsten T3. Easy to carry, can read in bed in the dark, can carry hundreds of books on an SD card... I am a big fan of ereader.com, which is books for PDAs, primarily, and of manybooks.net, which has ebooks in all kinds of formats. I read for entertainment when I'm travelling or waiting, this is an easy way, instead of lugging around a tote bag full of books. I don't want a Kindle because it's too big, don't like the proprietary format, and it is way too expensive. With the Palm I can at least do other stuff. This doesn't mean I don't buy actual books, I do. Lots of them. For traveling though, I much prefer ebooks. I read my e-books on my legacy Palm Tungsten T3. Easy to carry, can read in bed in the dark, can carry hundreds of books on an SD card…

I am a big fan of ereader.com, which is books for PDAs, primarily, and of manybooks.net, which has ebooks in all kinds of formats. I read for entertainment when I’m travelling or waiting, this is an easy way, instead of lugging around a tote bag full of books.

I don’t want a Kindle because it’s too big, don’t like the proprietary format, and it is way too expensive. With the Palm I can at least do other stuff.

This doesn’t mean I don’t buy actual books, I do. Lots of them. For traveling though, I much prefer ebooks.

]]> By: Marc http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-942 Marc Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:32:14 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-942 I think the problem here is that too many people want to replace the book, forcing the "e-book" to do something it does badly and ignoring its strengths. The strength lies in displaying information that is dynamic, such as blogs. Or web sites. Or animation. Or text layouts that don't imitate right-to-left books, but allow multiple directions, like following threads in a discussion. That is what the makers of Kindle got wrong: they try too hard to imitate books. It's as bad as if cinema projectors only imitated paintings. An e-book is best for the ephemeral, not the fixed. I think the problem here is that too many people want to replace the book, forcing the “e-book” to do something it does badly and ignoring its strengths. The strength lies in displaying information that is dynamic, such as blogs. Or web sites. Or animation. Or text layouts that don’t imitate right-to-left books, but allow multiple directions, like following threads in a discussion.

That is what the makers of Kindle got wrong: they try too hard to imitate books. It’s as bad as if cinema projectors only imitated paintings. An e-book is best for the ephemeral, not the fixed.

]]> By: PaleDavid http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-939 PaleDavid Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:09:24 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-939 Interesting stuff, but books and ebooks aren't mutually exclusive, surely? And audiobooks are often preferable on the move. All these technologies have their place. My guess: lots of people will - mostly unintentionally - end up with a gadget that can handle PDFs and HTML. Some will download books in those formats but only if they're easy to use and free, cheap, or pay-by-chapter. E-books will probably make progress fastest in places with less access to books but not on Kindles. Interesting stuff, but books and ebooks aren’t mutually exclusive, surely? And audiobooks are often preferable on the move. All these technologies have their place.

My guess: lots of people will - mostly unintentionally - end up with a gadget that can handle PDFs and HTML. Some will download books in those formats but only if they’re easy to use and free, cheap, or pay-by-chapter.

E-books will probably make progress fastest in places with less access to books but not on Kindles.

]]> By: mandarine http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-903 mandarine Sat, 12 Jan 2008 06:56:20 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-903 I like your specifications. I wrote an unbiased review last year, which you are kindly welcome to read if you like a good laugh (just follow my url). I like your specifications. I wrote an unbiased review last year, which you are kindly welcome to read if you like a good laugh (just follow my url).

]]> By: Still waiting ... http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-638 Still waiting ... Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:50:36 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-638 Want to read my pdfs, don't want to relocate to the US, need long battery life, lightweight, no funny tie-ins ! I will state this on every Kindle review site until somebody gets it and finally makes a nice ereader. I like dead tree thingies too, but 1. most tech manuals etc. come in eform now (see Trigger Happy ;-)) 2. I have limited shelf space 3. I sometimes want more than one book and really tend sometimes to read 2 pages here, 2 pages there, since exhausted math synapses still means that I can read history Want to read my pdfs, don’t want to relocate to the US, need long battery life, lightweight, no funny tie-ins !
I will state this on every Kindle review site until somebody gets it and finally makes a nice ereader.
I like dead tree thingies too, but
1. most tech manuals etc. come in eform now (see Trigger Happy ;-))
2. I have limited shelf space
3. I sometimes want more than one book and really tend sometimes to read 2 pages here, 2 pages there, since exhausted math synapses still means that I can read history

]]> By: Big Ben http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-620 Big Ben Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:04:48 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-620 I myself often do #2 while reading. It's the only time I can get some peace and quiet. I myself often do #2 while reading. It’s the only time I can get some peace and quiet.

]]> By: lparra http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-601 lparra Mon, 26 Nov 2007 23:58:56 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-601 Just downloaded your Trigger Happy book. Will read it, and as soon as I´m done, if it´s as good as it seems, I will buy copies for the library at the Uni I work at to support your efforts. Thank you. Cheers! Just downloaded your Trigger Happy book. Will read it, and as soon as I´m done, if it´s as good as it seems, I will buy copies for the library at the Uni I work at to support your efforts.

Thank you.

Cheers!

]]> By: Trigger Happy | binaries.ru http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-570 Trigger Happy | binaries.ru Sat, 24 Nov 2007 08:10:37 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-570 [...] за символическую цену по сей день. Недавно Пул заимел зуб на Amazon Kindle и стал распространять свою книгу совершенно [...] […] за символическую цену по сей день. Недавно Пул заимел зуб на Amazon Kindle и стал распространять свою книгу совершенно […]

]]> By: The Vine » Blog Archive » He said it best… http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-564 The Vine » Blog Archive » He said it best… Sat, 24 Nov 2007 02:02:15 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-564 [...] Daring Fireball, “Steven Poole on the Kindle’s shortcomings compared to paper books. Half in jest, [...] […] Daring Fireball, “Steven Poole on the Kindle’s shortcomings compared to paper books. Half in jest, […]

]]> By: Aber der Mensch entwirft, und Zeus vollendet es anders. | F!XMBR http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-547 Aber der Mensch entwirft, und Zeus vollendet es anders. | F!XMBR Fri, 23 Nov 2007 13:18:16 +0000 http://stevenpoole.net/blog/e-book-the-letter/#comment-547 [...] E-book the letter Ein paar Punkte in puncto Ebooks allgemein und insbesondere Amazons Kindle. Gut getroffen =) [...] […] E-book the letter Ein paar Punkte in puncto Ebooks allgemein und insbesondere Amazons Kindle. Gut getroffen =) […]

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