January 30, 2009

Survey: Ebook or Print?

I'm tired today so thought I'd pose a few questions and see what everyone thinks.

There's been quite a few discussions lately on "green" reading - ebooks - electronic books.

Yes, my book Searching For A Starry Night is available in ebook form (and is a finalist in the 2009 Eppie Awards in the ya/children's category.)

I've read ebooks and like them. For one, they're cheaper. Too bad the e-readers are so expensive yet. Maybe I'll get one at some point.

So the questions today:

* Got an e-reader? Which? What do you like about it? Have a Kindle? Do you like it or why not?

* Why do you or don't you like ebooks?

* Print or electronic, and why?

* Feel free to share your thoughts on electronic and print publishing.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I prefer books over ebooks in general. It's easier to pick up a book if I decide I want to read than to pick up an ebook.

The ebooks I get are .pdf files that I usually have to read on my computer or transfer to Adobe Reader on my Palm Pilot. When I'm at work or standing in the grocery line it's convenient to read them on my Palm.

It's easier to flip back to a section of the book when I'm reviewing it if it's in book format and not .pdf format.

Katie Hines said...

No, I don't have an ereader, and don't plan to get one.

Presently, I don't care for ebooks. I don't like sitting at my computer to read a book and risk eyestrain!

Definitely print. Not much beats grabbing a new book (print) and lying in bed reading. One of my most favorite things to do. Cannot imagine an ebook would even come into the same league.

Guess I'm old school. As ebooks become more prevalent, and ereaders go down in price, I'll not consider buying an ebook. My love affair is with the printed page.

Anonymous said...

I have bad vision. I'm a lawyer do I look at the computer alot. Reading a screen really bothers me.

Besides you really can't display ebooks to all of your friends in your how like books.

Anonymous said...

I definitely prefer print, but I do have an ebook reader on my Pocket PC phone. I hate reading PDF files, though.

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

I like books that I can hold,turn the pages and line my sehlves with. I know I need to adjust my attitude because ebooks are the wave of the future.

Jane Kennedy Sutton
http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/

Jo Raines said...

I don't have an e-reader, whatever that is. I like a book to take in my purse when I'm waiting in the elementary school line or sitting in a doctor's office. I think it will be sad if we ever go completely to books online. I do, however, think we would save a lot of trees by putting newspapers online eventually. Just my thoughts.

Jody
Mini Leaps and Bounds

Camille Minichino said...

Nothing against them, but every now and then I like to move away from a screen of any size!
I'm curious about what younger people think -- like Y/A readers. Maybe that generation will abandon print, but not mine.

CA Verstraete said...

Interesting to hear what everyone says. It seems to be generational, at least here. I like both. Yes, I love print books, nothing compares, but I do read online a lot. Guess I'm part geek. ha! If an e-reader was cheap, comfortable and esy to use, I'd probably get one.

Anonymous said...

I am a true eBook lover. I love the flexibility I get when I travel. I have a two week trip that will take me from Baltimore to Chicago to San Diego and back to Baltimore, all in one stretch. Can you imagine if I had to carry hard copies of my pleasure reads and the submissions I have to get through? I would be crippled. So my Palm T/X is a blessing.

For those of you who love eBooks and know friends with Kindles, Chris's book is now available on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QXDTCG

As for the age thing, I am 43 and I too love paper books, but eBooks have become far to convenient for me to ignore.

Hop on over and get a copy!

http://karensyed.blogspot.com

Morgan Mandel said...

It's not either or, but both for me. I used to use a Palm, but now I plan to use my Iphone and have installed Stanza on it. Unfortunately, I've been too busy to read lately. Need more hours in the day.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com