In the late 90s, those of us who were merely impressed with the web had to sit through the evangelism of the true internet believers. Perhaps their most deeply held belief: print was for the dead and dying.
I didn't think so then or now. Print's easier to read; it can be left on the bus and, to go a little woo-woo, it has the satisfactions of a created, graspable object.
And thus, U and I, discovered via place+thyme, a print magazine celebrating the photography gathered on flickr.
Thanks for the link to the very spiffy-looking magazine.
At every writer's conference I have attended since 1998, there has been either a panel or hot discussion topic of e-books and electronic publishing. The "forward thinkers" or "doom-sayers" (depending on how you look at it) have been telling us that books will soon go the way of the 8-Tracks tapes, Betamax tapes, even cassette tapes -- everyone will read things electronically.
These are not people who enjoy reading...they enjoy gadgetry. Perhaps e-books are on the rise, but it's "cool" to have one. One still must make time to sit and read, and if one is going to do that, why not actually hold a book?
At the conference I attended earlier this month it was said that the Japanese are reading books on their cell phones and that that will soon be happening here. I would challenge that assertion. "Reading" books on their cell phones, or "owning" books on their cell phones?
I think that I have four, public domain books on my now ancient Handspring Visor. They've been there since 1999 and I do, on occassion (very rare occassion), read in one of them, but it's certainly not my ideal choice of reading material. I'm still more likely to pick up a discarded, crumpled magazine than read a new book off of a miniature LED screen.
Posted by: Stix | October 27, 2005 at 09:15 AM