Books.
They are AWESOME.
You purchase one, and you OWN IT. It's like, THERE right on your shelf.
It doesn't require regular online patches.
You don't need to be online to read it.
Books fucking RULE.
We could start calling them "Analog Language Delivery Systems" with "User Actuated Planar Manifolds" if it makes a certain sector of the population feel better. :)
Yes, it was years if not decades ago I saw it. Apparently it's remained popular enough that it ranks high in search.
Speaking of past decades, I think I once applied for an administrative (grunt work) job at Haleakala.
I love books. I get audio, e-books, and Treeware books (often of the same book) My eyesight isn't too great, so I can adjust font on my Kindle (currently reading LotR again). When I am working in my garden, audio books. I make digital version user friendly, this way no patched or updates needed.
I bought a book a few years ago, but forgot to keep up with the monthly subscription fees, and yet there it still is on my shelf whenever I want to read it!
A problem with digital is that you own nothing. Amazon can delete that book from your Kindle whenever they want.
I like my Kindle. It's useful. But I'm not allowed to fully own it.
Depends on your *source*. I can get public domain ePubs any time I like. Some excellent publishers like Word Horde and Dalkey Archive offer ePubs as a courtesy to book-buyers. I think @galleybeggars.bsky.social does as well, but confirmation is necessary.
The problem with dead tree is they occupy space. Individually maybe not so much so, but collectively they add up, And thus in small living spaces they must justify the space they consume. So, very often, they get gifted, tossed, or sold for a pittance. You own them, maybe, but maybe not for long...
1/
An additional though, hours later: In July of 2009, Amazon did reach out and removed a copy of (ironically) Orwell's "1984". In a $150k settlement later that year, Amazon agreed to never do that again except in 3 very narrow cases involving courts and never arbitrarily.
That's why I bought a Kobo Clara. I can sideload my own epub files on it. Although I did lose everything on it after I visited my grandparents after 3 years abroad, didn't remember I had connected it to their Wifi the last time and it installed a firmware update that wiped all my stored books.
3/
The same is also true for Audible. I have many titles there that are no longer available, no longer listed, that I have full access to download and listen.
So, yes, while there is that very real possibility, thus far it has never become a reality. After "1984 in 2009."
(I still backup though.)
2/
Since then I have never heard of a book removal by them either from devices or the content library. I have many books that are no longer for sale (or even listed) still accessible. Heck they won't even update the digital copies with newer unless I say "yes, do that".
I loved to go to the local used book store when I was a kid. The lady running it was really nice, they had an tremendous selection and good prices. The smell of the store was amazing. I still have some of the books I purchased, her store stamp still inside the cover.
I love holding a book in my hand. I also love the convenience of my kindle, especially since I’m recovering from surgery. My paper white never hurts my eyes. But physical books are the best. The feel. The smell. Nothing beats it.
Speaking of patches or updates though, I added an additional sex scene in between author’s proof and final publish. I sold that copy to a friend who passed away a few years ago.
Someone somewhere has the only version missing that scene and it’s kind of wild.
That thing was such a nightmare of "We NEED to promote the hell out of this one terrible idea and that's all we're going to do!"
Thank goodness they abandoned the concept after that.
There's nothing like the thrill of finding something unexpected and delightful in a second-hand bookshop. Just the ability to browse, even, and hold a book you've never seen before in your hand is a wonderful experience.
You can't do that with eBooks. And the real ones are becoming scarce.
