[Sigia-l] Re: The art of reading

[Conal Tuohy]

Louise Hewitt wrote:

> Seriously though, there has always been this protracted 
> debate about how computers will replace books and we will all 
> drive around in flying cars (or planes as I'm sure we would 
> insist they were called).
> 
> I've worked on enough online magazines to confidently say 
> that it will never happen. There is aesthetic value in print 
> on paper, and in the experience of reading, that will not be 
> replaced by hunched shoulders at desks staring at light boxes.

I have worked in IT long enough to confidently say that you can never
confidently say "it will never happen". :-)

There are plenty of "digital ink"-type technologies around these days,
with characteristics quite similar to printed pages (including
reflecting rather than emitting light, and not flickering). Some of them
are even in the early stages of mass production. Just wait ... the
resolution goes up, the price goes down, and at some point digital
screens will become significantly cheaper than paper. I confidently
predict that at that point the bottom will fall out of the paper book
market. 

Some people thought it wouldn't happen with film cameras ... but in the
last few years the photographic film / camera industry has taken a dive.
The digital technology (CCDs in this case) reached a particular price
point, then CCDs started getting stuck into cell-phones, and production
volumes shot up, the price fell even further ... now it's all over for
film. In a few more years it will be like trying to buy vinyl.

Cheers

Con