E-Reader or Books

I have 300 books on it, and I've only paid for 2 of them.

That's not really something you want to be proclaiming in an open internet forum. This is what I dislike most about e-Readers. Authors trying to make a decent living aren't going to make as much because it's easier to steal a digital copy than it is to steal a physical copy. If nothing else, buy the ones from the lesser-known or independent authors.

I don't think the above post necessarily means they are pirated copies - like I said in my post there are millions of free books available through the Kobo and Kindle websites. I have also only purchased a handfull of books as I'm taking advantage of reading new authors for free - legally

I get that, but 298 free versus 2 purchased seems like a rather disproportionate number for absolutely every one of those 298 to be legally acquired, particularly if that's the poster's main medium for reading.

Unless they're really only reading the ones that are legally free, which, if that's the case, I do apologize.

There are huge numbers of legitimately free books - anything out of copyright dates for example, and loss leaders, ie the first one of a series which you then get addicted to and buy the rest. I have mostly free or less than £1 books all purchase legitimately via Amazon.

Anyway - what's wrong with reading free books? Most of them are classics and well worth reading

I get that, and there's nothing wrong with reading classics, but this person admitted to paying for only 2 books out of 300. That seems a bit skewed, to me, unless they're only reading classics or books with lapsed copyrights. It's possible, but it seems improbable if digital books are your main source of reading material.

So cynical. *sigh* I have a Nook and LOVE it (although i do still read physical books on occasion). At bn.com, there are literally HUNDREDS of free books that are mostly self-published, and you can find a TON of real gems in there, as well as free classic books EVERYWHERE. There are also library apps where you can check out e-books from the library, and read them *gasp* for free! I have read a lot of good things that have been free/self-published, and a lot of crap, too, but it is perfectly possible to have hundreds of books that have been procured for free. And even if they weren't, and this person was clueless enough to proclaim that in an inappropriate place, to continue to call them out on it in such a cynical and assumptive manner is kind of unnecessary. Glass half full, and all... Just saying.

I like regular old books better =] BESIDES most people *I* know with kindles don't even use them for books, lol most of the time they're playing angry birds or something on em.. Reading my *kitten*!! :grumble:

You can play angry birds on a kindle?!... you sure??

You could play Angry Birds on a Kindle Fire.

I have 300 books on it, and I've only paid for 2 of them.

That's not really something you want to be proclaiming in an open internet forum. This is what I dislike most about e-Readers. Authors trying to make a decent living aren't going to make as much because it's easier to steal a digital copy than it is to steal a physical copy. If nothing else, buy the ones from the lesser-known or independent authors.

I don't think the above post necessarily means they are pirated copies - like I said in my post there are millions of free books available through the Kobo and Kindle websites. I have also only purchased a handfull of books as I'm taking advantage of reading new authors for free - legally

I get that, but 298 free versus 2 purchased seems like a rather disproportionate number for absolutely every one of those 298 to be legally acquired, particularly if that's the poster's main medium for reading.

Unless they're really only reading the ones that are legally free, which, if that's the case, I do apologize.

There are huge numbers of legitimately free books - anything out of copyright dates for example, and loss leaders, ie the first one of a series which you then get addicted to and buy the rest. I have mostly free or less than £1 books all purchase legitimately via Amazon.

Anyway - what's wrong with reading free books? Most of them are classics and well worth reading

I get that, and there's nothing wrong with reading classics, but this person admitted to paying for only 2 books out of 300. That seems a bit skewed, to me, unless they're only reading classics or books with lapsed copyrights. It's possible, but it seems improbable if digital books are your main source of reading material.

So cynical. *sigh* I have a Nook and LOVE it (although i do still read physical books on occasion). At bn.com, there are literally HUNDREDS of free books that are mostly self-published, and you can find a TON of real gems in there, as well as free classic books EVERYWHERE. There are also library apps where you can check out e-books from the library, and read them *gasp* for free! I have read a lot of good things that have been free/self-published, and a lot of crap, too, but it is perfectly possible to have hundreds of books that have been procured for free. And even if they weren't, and this person was clueless enough to proclaim that in an inappropriate place, to continue to call them out on it in such a cynical and assumptive manner is kind of unnecessary. Glass half full, and all... Just saying.

I get that it's possible to legally have hundreds of books for free, but it seems improbable that you could acquire 99% of your book collection for free unless you really don't care about what you're reading. Also, I don't know about your library, but mine only lets me check out 25 books at a time. I guess, if you were constantly renewing them, that could account for another 7% or so of the book collection, but that's still 92% free.

It just seems like a very unlikely percentage to me if that's your main medium for reading.

I have 300 books on it, and I've only paid for 2 of them.

That's not really something you want to be proclaiming in an open internet forum. This is what I dislike most about e-Readers. Authors trying to make a decent living aren't going to make as much because it's easier to steal a digital copy than it is to steal a physical copy. If nothing else, buy the ones from the lesser-known or independent authors.

I don't think the above post necessarily means they are pirated copies - like I said in my post there are millions of free books available through the Kobo and Kindle websites. I have also only purchased a handfull of books as I'm taking advantage of reading new authors for free - legally

I get that, but 298 free versus 2 purchased seems like a rather disproportionate number for absolutely every one of those 298 to be legally acquired, particularly if that's the poster's main medium for reading.

Unless they're really only reading the ones that are legally free, which, if that's the case, I do apologize.

There are huge numbers of legitimately free books - anything out of copyright dates for example, and loss leaders, ie the first one of a series which you then get addicted to and buy the rest. I have mostly free or less than £1 books all purchase legitimately via Amazon.

Anyway - what's wrong with reading free books? Most of them are classics and well worth reading

I get that, and there's nothing wrong with reading classics, but this person admitted to paying for only 2 books out of 300. That seems a bit skewed, to me, unless they're only reading classics or books with lapsed copyrights. It's possible, but it seems improbable if digital books are your main source of reading material.

So cynical. *sigh* I have a Nook and LOVE it (although i do still read physical books on occasion). At bn.com, there are literally HUNDREDS of free books that are mostly self-published, and you can find a TON of real gems in there, as well as free classic books EVERYWHERE. There are also library apps where you can check out e-books from the library, and read them *gasp* for free! I have read a lot of good things that have been free/self-published, and a lot of crap, too, but it is perfectly possible to have hundreds of books that have been procured for free. And even if they weren't, and this person was clueless enough to proclaim that in an inappropriate place, to continue to call them out on it in such a cynical and assumptive manner is kind of unnecessary. Glass half full, and all... Just saying.

I get that it's possible to legally have hundreds of books for free, but it seems improbable that you could acquire 99% of your book collection for free unless you really don't care about what you're reading. Also, I don't know about your library, but mine only lets me check out 25 books at a time. I guess, if you were constantly renewing them, that could account for another 7% or so of the book collection, but that's still 92% free.

It just seems like a very unlikely percentage to me if that's your main medium for reading.

And STILL you continue to harp on it. :indifferent: I GET that you doubt it. I do, too, if it comes down to that, but really, WHAT does it matter, to keep going on and on about it? YOU cannot personally prevent anyone from downloading things illegally, the person who originally posted about only paying for 2 books has not responded, and it's just not worth getting panties in a wad over, really. You pay for your books, I pay for mine, and others will do whatever it is that they do, regardless of what you say or how many times you say it on an online forum. I was just trying to offer a plausibly positive alternative. Seems people are always suspicious of everyone else's motives, probably mostly for good reason, but really, it only worries YOU, it's not bothering them at all. lol. That's all I was trying to say. :flowerforyou:

That being said, Yay, e-readers!

Wow, I was just trying to clarify my point. Sorry I've chosen to concern myself with a profession in which I wish to some day make money.

I can't seem to make the switch to an E-reader. I like the feel and the smell of a book.

I love my Kobo Touch, took me months to actually convince myself to buy it, glad I did. That being said though, I still love and buy books.

I love books. My mother was a librarian so always had them around.
I love my Kindle. We can go away and I don't have to take a suitcase full of books along.

Both are good and have their uses.

Then again, I also read a lot of fanfic on my laptop *laff*

They aren't mutually exclusive, you know :-) I have more hardcopy books than one woman will ever need and many that I'd never consider parting with. But I also love to have the ereader for reading in bed (with no lights on), in my purse for short waiting room times, and on public transit. I'm another person who has purchased very few of the books on my ereader. I wait for Nook's Free Friday lists every week and download a dozen or more every week - mostly authors I've never heard of before. Quality varies, but it's a wonderful way to sample new authors and mutually beneficial because I've often then bought other works by those I like.

I've tried several times to switch to an ereader but I'm so attached to books. Its just not the same holding an ereader as holding a book. Its silly but I am very sentimentally attatched to the smell/feel of paperbacks

Personally, I love audiobooks. I put all of the Harry Potter's on my iPod and that's how I got through my first month of work. I'm saving up for a Kindle but it really doesn't matter to me, as long as I'm reading something I'm happy. Except I'm prejudiced against paperbacks. I throw books in my purse and paperbacks get messed up faster than hardcovers (with the dust jackets removed and kept somewhere safe).

i thought that ereaders were dumb. especially after finding out that most books cost nearly as much in electronic form then they do in paper form, but my sister lent me hers while i was at the hospital and i LOVED IT. my hands didnt cramp up from trying to hold the pages open, it was easier to find a comfortable position to read in, i had hundreds of books with me, no losing bookmarks, and no one knew what i was reading, not to mention the battery life was FAR beyond my expectations.

now that ive learned how to download books for free, i wanna get my own.

Books for sure. I love the weight of them and the smell of an old paperback. I'm weird sue me.

I prefer the physical book but I love the convenience of having books on my Nook Color (with n2a card) .
Although I'm running out of room in the house for books/bookcases I have no plans to dump them all and go digital.

Books.

1) New book smell
2) Old book smell
3) If you drop a book in water, it has more personality. If you drop an ereader in water it's broken.
4) Paper books require actual printing = more human jobs
5) Having an awesome library in my house
6) Used book stores
7) Turning pages
8) Books don't have glare (okay, I guess they make ereaders with matte screens, too.)
9) You can trade physical books
10) Being able to gauge how much you've read by the placement of your bookmark
11) Bookmarks
12) Books don't run out of battery

I do love books but not when i have to lug them to and from remote work-sites, for that I'm sure an e-reader will be great, for now I just use the "kindle for PC" program on the computer.

Oh and i have 2000+ books (I did originally mean e-books here but I realized that that number applies to both e-books mostly for free and the real books that I've bought over the years...), 5 of which I've paid for. (but those 5, one of which was a 99cent ebook that was on my "to buy" list for "real" books at $25 for a copy I saved myself 24 and got it for the PC / future e-reader. The 4 other ones? They cost $0.01. I spent some time today "buying" over $600 worth of regular priced books from Amazon's DAILY free ebooks. They won't all be winners, but since they were free if it's "trash" when I read it I won't feel bad about deleting it. With a real book that I paid for and perhaps paid dearly I tend to give the author the benefit of the doubt and will read the whole thing.
I have tons of real books and don't plan to give them up, but an e-reader (or program simultating it on a laptop) is a real win in my book.

Pun fully intended.

ETA -
Project Gutenberg offers over 40,000 free ebooks: choose among free epub books, free kindle books, download them or read them online. From their terms of service "Our ebooks are free in the United States because their copyright has expired. "
that's gutenberg.org
there's also gutenberg.ca which had a great collection of "fairy tales" like a continuation to Jack & the Beanstalk and similar familiar tales.