Buy this track on iTunes ADD Add Favourite

blog post Today on Lanarama: Techie Tuesday! Books Beware, Oprah Loves the E-Reader, Do You?

posted by Lana Gay on Oct 28, 2008

related genres
Radio 3

likes
0

It's Techie Tuesday! Senior Web Developer Scott Muc is here to answer all of your technology questions! Computer making noises? CBCRadio3.com giving you issues? Fear the ‘Blue Screen of Death'? Not only does Scott have the answers, he's also a novice horse racing handicapper, practices yoga twice weekly AND listens to fantasy audio books!

Last Friday I was sick, and so I did what I usually do when I'm sick - watch daytime tv and whine on the phone to my Mom. I was hoping Oprah would have some crazy couch jumping guest on her show, but in fact Fridays are her "new gadget days". This particular day, her life changing gadget was the Amazon Kindle, an e-book reader.

Call me old fashioned, but I like holding a book, throwing in that tattered old bookmark (from the Scholastic Fair in Grade 4) and piling them into bookshelves. However, electronic reading devices are growing rapidly with smaller companies introducing their own prototypes and publishers increasing digitalization of their books.

But what about you? WOULD YOU READ BOOKS ON AN E-READER?

For a little demo, watch this.

Post your comments and questions on the blog or email feedback@cbcradio3.com

posted by Lana Gay on Oct 28, 2008

Share Like

Comments

display Oldest First | Newest First

COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS POST!

#1 posted by
TheRadioHead
on Oct 28, 2008

To never bring up your embarrassing golf/sex/girlfriend problem ever again, if you please just make it so a comment isn't posted if you hit "Enter" in the Comment Title field.

#2 posted by
Scott Muc
on Oct 28, 2008

Deal!

#3 posted by
AlexOfAnders
on Oct 28, 2008

I came across a demo of the Sony product just like this one at Word on the Street in Toronto while I was there. Call me old fashioned too but there's something about a physical book that I love. The feel of the paper as you turn the pages, the smell of the paper, the sense of accomplishment when you read a 1000 page book and can look and see all those pages. I just can't give it up, I've even started buying used books because they have nicer paper and covers if they're old enough. The copy of Moby Dick I'm reading if from the sixties! It's awesome.

So, to answer the question finally, no, I would not read using the e-reader.

Question for Scott, where do you do Yoga? I only go once a week to Yoga West out on fourth. Also, what type of yoga is it at your place?

#4 posted by
mcfflyer
on Oct 28, 2008

It kinda gives me chills looking at it. Not quite sure why...

Scott, how easy is it to transfer files between computers? No, I haven't purchased a new one yet, but will before my hard drive makes its death spin/crash. What do I have to do to move the files and applications I do want to keep?

Thanks, Scott, and hope you're feeling better, Lana.

Lee Hower
Sacramento, California

#5 posted by
jillenium00
on Oct 28, 2008

...because that photo is just too unsettling. I think it must be Scott's penetrating stare, and Lana's shifty eyes and sneaky smile.

#6 posted by
rosiecotton95
on Oct 28, 2008

My father and I have had this argument over and over again. He reads e-books, and I read REAL books. We just rip into eachother when we argue this, but he hasn't been able to touch my favourite argument: Books Smell.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good smell. I don't know what it is, but it's a whole experiance reading a book, sight, and smell and touch are all part of it. And you don't get then same experiance when you can't touch or smell them!

I swear that you can tell what type of book it is by the smell, my James Bond books smell like an action book, and my LOTR books smell like fantasy. I can't really describe it in more detail, but that's just how I feel.

Books All The Way!!!

#7 posted by
rosiecotton95
on Oct 28, 2008

FYI I've got nothing against audio books. The Sound makes up for the lack or smell or touch!

And what better way to spend a long drive than listening to an audiobook?

#8 posted by
TheRadioHead
on Oct 28, 2008

Are you kidding, it was that easy??

I've been complaining about that for, like, 2 years! I figured I had to wait for the new site.

Geezus, now I'm annoyed.

Doesn't mean that I won't bring up that "issue" using a proxy.

#9 posted by
lindsey.who
on Oct 28, 2008

which is more enviromentally friendly?
books or e -books?
I would weigh my decision based on that.

#10 posted by
bcknoech
on Oct 28, 2008

Scott I have a technical question for you about my wireless router at home.

I bought a new desktop with a network adapter (because I can't get a cord in my room) and our family has a wireless router downstairs. I have used my laptop for a couple years and have had no issues with internet connection (for the most part). But with my new computer, I can connect to the router but not the internet.

My router is a DI-624, my adapter is:

D-LINK DWA-542 Wireless 802.11 Draft N PCI Adapter 802.11B/G/N

I can connect to my neighbour's unsecured network, but not my secured family router (I think it's WPA encrypted).

I have a theory... that it's a Vista problem, but that doesn't make any sense. Could it be Vista (my laptop is XP)? I've tried removing my firewall on my computer but no luck.

Thanks for any help or suggestions!

#11 posted by
quimby
on Oct 28, 2008

Hey Scott, I've been tuning into radio3 with my audio player of choice by using the url for the live stream. Sure would be swell if I could do the same with my personal playlist - even if it means sacrificing the ability to flip through tracks. POSSIBLE?!?

#12 posted by
tb3
on Oct 28, 2008

For $300, no I would not.

If a book just doesn't get me interested, how does a device do that?

#13 posted by
Lana Gay
on Oct 28, 2008

The site Scott mentioned re: mcflyers question is www.getdropbox.com

#14 posted by
bandcandy
on Oct 28, 2008

I love books too - and a part of me would be said to see them go - but think of the trees! My god, the trees!

Maybe it's too expensive right now, but how much is it to buy more books for it? For an avid reader (who doesn't use the library - remember those?) it might be worth it.

My eyes ache just thinking of staring at that screen for hours. Anyone else?

#15 posted by
AlexOfAnders
on Oct 28, 2008

I gotta say, sounds really cool, just was looking through the disclaimer since I want to use it at the office. Aside from some other sketchiness, part of this phobited content seems foolish.
...(iv) is obscene, pornographic, or offensive...

Really, nothing pornographic? Do they know what most people use the internet for? Or that VHS would have never got anywhere if not for pornographic videos.

I'm just saying, it seems foolish to prohibit that. Not that I use the internets for that. No, never. I just hear that's a big part of this series of tubes we call the net.

#16 posted by
sstpierre
on Oct 28, 2008

Hey Lana. Feeling a little homesick for the first time since moving to Vancouver a year ago from our Nation's capital. Wondering if you could play 'Blankets' by the Acorn as a nod to my hometown?

Thanks.
- Steve

#17 posted by
CP123
on Oct 28, 2008

No, no!

The same way a big wad of cash is more exciting then a debit card, records are more satifying than mp3s, books are more tactile and comfortable than e-readers.

I'm with Rosiecotton95 on this one, the smell of books is amazing. When I walk into a library I always feel like I just came home, and I think that's mostly due to the smell of the books! Books feel good in your hands, flipping pages is part of the experience. There's a texture that my fingers would miss.

Books carry the history of what happened to you while you were reading them. Plus, personal libraries have an aesthetic value that I love.

#18 posted by
jessicaloveshercousin
on Oct 28, 2008

Scott!! i love you. My family says hi
I have to say the moment i looked at that picture I just laughed, your crazy.
But i do have a question.
Is there anyway to get things from my old laptop to my new one without removing my hard drive from my new one? (also my old laptop won't hold a charge or power up)

#19 posted by
Lana Gay
on Oct 28, 2008

Hey there, Scott wants you to try www.getdropbox.com He mentioned it regarding a previous post with a similar problem. He'll send you an invite to it, cuz.

#20 posted by
boyforpele
on Oct 28, 2008

Hi Lana
Glad to hear you're feeling better. I too watched last Friday's episode of Oprah and I have to admit it's a pretty nifty gadget.
There is something so cool and Jetsons-like about it, I can't help but want to try it. I am however, quite fond of the old fashioned book. The look, the smell, the feel and there's something quite sexy about seeing someone very attractive reading a book. Frankly I don't want another screen to stare at. I am on computers every day at work and at home.
The advantage of Amazon's new device is being able to store dozens of books for a long trip.
Call me old fashioned...but I would rather pack a book or two and inhale that old paper smell with each turning page.

#21 posted by
jsnimmo
on Oct 28, 2008

Heck No!

As many others have said, there's a lot more to books than just the right combination of letters. I'm a big fan of used books, and unless it is one of those amazing ones you absolutely have to have for the collection, I try to always exchange my old ones to keep them in circulation.

AND, as if our forestry industry hasn't been through enough already! First the softwood lumber debacle, then the volatile dollar, then the crash of the US housing market, and now Oprah goes after a major paper consuming industry. Will someone please think of the loggers?!

#22 posted by
nomadgirl
on Oct 28, 2008

yes! books do smell...the smell of a library, a well used bookshelf...*sigh*

long live the book.

#23 posted by
audio
on Oct 28, 2008

I would love to say save the trees but I spend 10 to 12 hours a day looking at a computer screen now so at the end of it I like to curl up with a good book without worrying holding a laptop or correct posture.

#24 posted by
something clever
on Oct 29, 2008

NO! I would never want to read a book like that!! This scares me, why does our society love technology so much?!

display Oldest First | Newest First

COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS POST!

web radio stations
music on demand
my saved items

Live Radio

CBC Radio 2
(5 stations)

CBC Radio 3

Genre Streams

Centre Ice Songs(1 stations)

Classical(10 stations)

Jazz(5 stations)

Singer-Songwriter(3 stations)

World(1 stations)

Rock(4 stations)

Pop(6 stations)

Blues(2 stations)

R&B / Soul(1 stations)

Hip Hop(1 stations)

Country(3 stations)

Aboriginal(1 stations)

Electronic(2 stations)

Login required

Oops - you have to be logged in to add to My Saved Items.

User Name

Password

Forgotten your password?

Don't have a CBC Music account?

Join Now for free