I have no idea why Amazon decided to call their electronic book reader the 'Kindle'. Nothing to do with burning books I hope. But it does effectively destroy paper books by making them redundant.
Last month, Amazon announced that sales of books in electronic versions exceeded sales of books in paper format. Here's some reasons why.
I read mostly textbooks. With a Kindle (and simultaneously with an iPad and smartphone) I can highlight and annotate text, and then cut and paste if from a website into a book review, or notes about the book I've been reading. This saves me literally hours of typing. Given the option I would read everything electronically. Paper is a waste of resources and a waste of time. For the moment, I still have to use paper books sometimes - but it's really annoying. I hate paper.
The only thing I can think of in favour of paper books is that they help to keep Christian bookshops open. (Assuming you don't buy them online of course). Sadly, I don't think it's sustainable.
I've just finished reading 'High-Tech Worship?: Using Presentational Technologies Wisely' by Quentin J. Schultze (Kindle edition). It's a book I would recommend to anyone interested in the subject - it strikes the right balance between Worship and High-Tech for one thing. And the analysis is indeed wise. One interesting anecdote is from a congregation in Seattle, half of whom work for MicroSoft. The leaders have decided to go lo-tech because that will have more impact there.
Put this book together with a couple of extant Grove booklets, and I think the ground is covered adequately. No need for me to write a book on that, then.
In other news, I noticed that the first letter in Today's Times (iPad edition) was from a group of prominent people concerned about the BBC's promoting the pro-assisted suicide agenda. (See my recent blog).
There's another story about the latest attempts to create a way of paying for things using mobile phones. Realistically, it concludes that the tech won't be available in the iPhone until late next year (by which time I may have paid for mine.) In the Lake District you currently need paper to buy things. Those shiny round metal things are only used for pay-and-display car parks - if you want a couple of coffees, the paper has to come out.
I hate paper.
Location:Fellfield
It is sadly ironic that this day and age when we are supposed to be more "eco-aware" we are more blasé with resources like paper. I would partly blame the advent of cheap home printers, cheap office printers, etc. If we make a typo or any other mistake we can just change it on the computer and run of another sheet no problem, maybe even a ream in extreme cases!
ReplyDeleteAt college I was basically taught to treat paper with respect. Also it was quite costly in the 80's particular when you are a student. We even had to use grease proof paper for life drawing as it was cheaper to use!
Even working in the design/print industry, if a job was printed and the client thought the stock (paper) was slightly too glossy or thin we would have to reprint the whole job again! The office basement would slowly become a graveyard to boxes of unused reports, newsletters, etc. Very sad.
I wonder what Ruskin would think of that.
I think I could survive without a printer. I use it for other people's benefit I suppose. Maybe they should be banned!
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