E-books: To own or not to own...

[charlestudor2005]

Originally Posted by pjorourke

One of these days, like maybe when the Feds cut off the gravy train to higher ed, schools will get smart and include text books in tuition and just license their delivery via kindles.

Actually, I think there is a move on a lot of campuses for professors to choose digital texts. That way there is limited cost (at least not $100 textbooks). Kindle currently has a way for you to send them your "textbooks" and they'll convert it to Kindle media for a price. And it is currently compatible with pdf docs, but since I've never downloaded a pdf doc onto it, I am not sure how you go about it. Maybe I'll try in the next week or so.

At least if we go to ebook media for text books, it might lighten the weight of backpacks which may help the curvature of the spine issue that exists now.

[discreetgent]

Primary and high schools are starting a move to electronic editions as well.

[Anna Symon]

Now, I love my textbooks but I am completely behind the movement to make them all digital. We waste soooooooo much paper printing out new editions every couple of years, it makes much more sense to simply have them all as digital records.

As far as the cost between the two go, I have seen digital versions offered for less, but have not personally reaped the benefit of that- what can I say, I am addicted to paper :-)

The day students don't have to haul around 50lbs backpacks full of books (since many high schools don't have lockers anymore for safety reasons) and instead have a travel sized kindle (or its equivalent) will be a wonderful one!

[Sisyphus]

Originally Posted by Anna Symon

http://www.economist.com/blogs/babba.../11/steal_book

*I should confess right up front that I love hard copy books. I love the feel of the pages, the smell of the paper and ink (and potentially the coffee that was spilled on the cover ages ago). So, while I like the idea of the kindle's (and others of its kind) compact/travel friendly usability, in the end I just love the sensation of a hard copy book between my fingers. So, I haven't caved and bought a kindle yet.

And this article isn't really helping to change my mind anytime soon...

The article brought up the good point that we don't really "own" this type of electronic media (e-books). We don't have the right to sell it or pass it along to a friend in the same way we would if had we bought its hard copy counterpart. I never really thought of this, but now that it has been brought to my attention, I don't really like the idea of it. If I purchase something, I want the rights to do with it what I please (within reason, obviously).

I echo your sentiment. I've used e-Readers for quite a while now...love them for all the reasons others have stated. But, they will never completely replace the sensations associated with reading a book the "old fashioned" way...at least not for me.

As for the "rights" thing...it's the same thing we saw when digital music was introduced. Move & countermove between the companies that sell & the hackers. I won't buy e-books from a source that I don't also possess the tools to remove the DRM...

[pjorourke]

Originally Posted by Sisyphus

I won't buy e-books from a source that I don't also possess the tools to remove the DRM...

Is there a tool to remove the DRM from Amazon's kindle files?

[discreetgent]

A few pointers, PJ

http://stream-recorder.com/forum/rem...-py-t5430.html

and

http://stream-recorder.com/forum/drm...oks-t5437.html

[Sisyphus]

Originally Posted by pjorourke

Is there a tool to remove the DRM from Amazon's kindle files?

Originally Posted by discreetgent

A few pointers, PJ

http://stream-recorder.com/forum/rem...-py-t5430.html

and

http://stream-recorder.com/forum/drm...oks-t5437.html

Thanks, DG! There are similar tools for Sony as well as B&N. If you don't consider yourself a "techie"...don't get intimidated by the geek-ness of the documentation. Basically, most of this stuff are scripts written in Python. Which is also open source....

1. D/L & install Python
2. D/L the scripts for the source of interest
3. Read the directions that come with the scripts
4. Run the scripts

Always work on a copy of your book, though! I usually copy mine to a folder at the Desktop & work from there