Where do you fall on e-books? Paper or plastic?

[godstar]

Personally, I think it's an interesting idea for people who have a problem with certain sized text, however, I'm firmly a paper person and love the smell, feel and look of a book.

A small impersonal device doesn't quite replace a book. People can't see what you're reading, and start conversations with you. I tend to be a fan of covers and what e-reader can replace some of the classic paintings on the Penguin classics? None!

Firmly paper for now, hopefully, for quite some time.

[Isa]

I'm the same as you, I love the feeling of holding a book in my hands, it's almost like some sort of spiritual experience for me! I haven't made the switch to e-books yet nor do I intend to do so in the near future, but I guess you can never say never. As someone made me realize once, when mp3s came out I wasn't interested, I was sure I'd keep on buying CDs and I still do, but I also download songs and albums once in a while. And I do admit that e-books can be quite convenient when you travel, so who knows? Maybe someday I'll get one but for now I'd still rather save some room in my suitcase for books

[katiaisme]

I feel the same way, for me the best part of reading is the feel of the book, the smell new or old. I cannot read a lot of information off a computer so ebooks don’t really appeal to me, I see how it would for people who love technology but it isn’t for me, I rather have the book in my hands then a digital copy.

[annak]

I read this article that eventually, books will become specialty items, to be purchased as gifts for someone who might really like an author or particular title. That really made me sad. I'm very visual, so I like to look at a book case to decide what I want to read or re-read, not a list of titles. Even when I see one of you guys write an interesting title as something you're reading, I look it up on Barnes and Noble, and then in the actual store, before I decide I want to buy it.

I also don't think I would have read some of the books that I have read had it not been for their physical presence at a bookstore and the random event of me picking it up.

[Dominique]

I'm somewhere in between. I don't own an e reader but I can definitely see that they'd be a great thing to have for someone who travels or commutes a lot. If I ever find myself in that situation I'd probably buy one. But that said I love my books. So I don't really know!

[honeyb05]

I will admit I have a Kindle and I enjoy it. I love books still, though. I agree that there's something special about the feel and touch of books. That's sad that they could become a specialty item. I hope that won't happen for a very long time. I like my e-reader but I still enjoy books better. The Kindle is nice though for travel and for those classics that are available to read for no charge sometimes. I still plan to get all the books in paper that I even have on my Kindle. It just isn't the same.

[pia]

Like the majority of you, I just love to hold an achtual book in my hand to read it, but still e-books are practical when travelling. I didn't read an e-book yet, but what I think would be a problem is, that I can't look at a screen that long. After some time the letters start to blur, my eyes begin to hurt and a headache builds up. This keeps me from trying e-books, also because it doesn't happen with "real" books. Additionally, I just couldn't do without my bookshelf being loaded with volumes I already read or am about to read!

[Kristie]

I have a Kindle--I got it for Christmas. I do like reading on it, but I agree that it just doesn't feel like a book. And I've been having a hard time getting used to buying the eBooks. When I think of a book I want to buy, I think "Okay, I'm pretty sure I'll want this book forever, so I should get a hardcopy of it." But then I realize, "Wait! I could easily have my Kindle forever and, even if it broke, I'd still have the books on my account, and it's cheaper so I should buy it on the Kindle." Needless to say, I've bought 3 Kindle books since the first of the year (downloaded about 80 free ones ) and I bought about 6 hard copies. So that's not bad.

But I enjoy going to the book store and just browsing and finding various books that I'd like. But I don't get the same experience from browsing the Kindle Store. I hate to admit it, but sometimes covers draw my attention and without the color of those covers in the Kindle, it's hard for me to browse it like I do a real store.

[yara]

i'd like to buy an ebook, it's more comfortable if you have to travel but i prefel traditional ones( ...ebook doesn't smell!)

[erin]

I use to read paper backs but not anymore. I have a kindle and I love it. I do all of my reading on there. I won't go back to real books ever again lol. I think of my kindle as my own personal little library.

[yara]

i don't know exactly how kindles work, is it true that you can read only amazon ebook? i've read that for italian readers this is a problem because on amazon we can find only few book in italian.
What about others ebook? do they work also with PDF files? online it's quite easy find free pdf version of books