Comments on: Five years?

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:20:31 +0000

I have to say I don't agree. I don't think that everyone will change over to a kindle. I have two reasons. One reading on paper is easier on the eyes, and two, it's cheaper to get a large amount of children introduced to books in print than on a kindle. I have a hard time seeing our classrooms filled with kindles and laptops instead of books.

By: Kristin Laughtin

Kristin Laughtin — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:54:09 +0000

Martin above me made the point I wished to make. People still buy CDs. They sell in much smaller quantities now that we can buy mp3s, but they exist all the same. I expect the same will be true of print books all the while.

The point about Africa is interesting, though, perhaps because most of the other arguments that have gauged the economics of print vs. electronic seem to view anywhere outside of Europe/North America/East Asia as too primitive for e-readers. Seems like e-readers will only increase literacy, which is awesome!

By: Martin Kozicki

Martin Kozicki — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:15:27 +0000

The same way Blu-ray coexists with DVD, and CDs coexist with iTunes, printed books will coexist with e-books. They'll find their equilibrium. There are just certain things you cannot do with an e-book, and vice versa, that necessitates the existence of both mediums.

By: Jill

Jill — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:09:22 +0000

Sounds like the plot for a great dystopian thriller:

It's 2015, and physical books have disappeared. It's up the scrappy literary agents of DGLM to find out why.

By: Suzi McGowen

Suzi McGowen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:35:03 +0000

On the other hand, I was an early adopter of the Kindle. My husband suspected that I'd lost my soul, and swore he would never be sucked into that particular deal with the devil.

He took delivery on his Kindle last week and loves it.

By: Daryl Sedore

Daryl Sedore — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:34:59 +0000

I agree with Kurt. People on Twitter responded to Jason Pinter's question yesterday. He asked e-book readers how many print books they buy or if they still do. Many replied they don't unless it's a series or collection.

I used to buy 100 print books a year without question. I'm down to 5 now per year. Everything else is electronic. In five years I probably won't be buying print.

By: Kurt Munro

Kurt Munro — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:27:07 +0000

I think it'll be nearer 10 years, but 5 years is a long time in the digital space. By then, Kindle-type devices could be around the £30 ($47) mark, and if ebook prices end up at $5/6 or less, I can see it happening.

I haven't bought a physical book in a while.

By: Wine and food

Wine and food — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:15:17 +0000

If books are gone in 5 years, I will no longer be reading in 5 years. But I doubt Negraponte is correct, for western societies, at least.