Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming

Re:Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading... by TBInman on Wednesday October 16, 2013 @09:20AM (#6559458)

Much like Neil, I think that physical made-out-of-dead-tree-books are pretty fantastic devices for delivering information to our brains. But the stats for digital book take up are pretty staggering.

I don't think this means anything in itself, but coupled with the fact that more and more people are choosing to read on tablets as opposed to dedicated e-reading devices does worry me. Do tablet manufacturers care about reading? Probably not. So it's not just that books exist in a noisier world. They are also increasingly sharing a platform with noisier content.

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Re:Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading... by GFischer on Wednesday October 16, 2013 @12:16PM (#6560477)

I love reading in physical books. However, they're too bulky to carry several around for a trip, bus ride, etc...

So, I love my Kindle because it lets me carry around a ridiculous library in a small form factor.

Yet, I sometimes need to be in just my business wear, so don't have place for the Kindle, and end up reading in a smartphone.

Much like carrying around a dedicated camera has been superseded by cell phones (even though no-one can deny that dedicated cameras take superior photographs), paper books are superseded by e-book readers, tablets and smartphones, because of the convenience factor.

And, as you say, they have to compete with apps, the Internet, etc...

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