Thoughts and opinions: eBooks or old school?

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Hi, everyone. Looking at replacing some of the books I was stupid enough to git rid of awhile ago when I didn't think I would be returning to this hobby. Since at least a few of them appear to be available in eBook (e.g.: Kindle) format now, my question is which format--electronic vs hard copy (paper/hardback)--you prefer, and what do you consider to be the important advantages and disadvantages from a modeler's perspective of each. I have my own thoughts, but want to hear what other people think without being tainted by my opinion.
 
i was a collector of maritime books until i began to run out of space so an advantage to Ebooks is they do not take up storage space.
paperback vs hardback i see no advantage other than paperbacks are less expensive and still provide information.
At one time i thought of books as a rare collection item that would grow in value, not so much. In the past model ship builders who passed away or got out of the hobby and sold there library were lucky to sell. The last maritime library i was involved in selling i contacted a rare book dealer and he did not even want the collection. His reason was the subject material is so specialized it would not sell in a reasonable amount of time.
Hobby publications like Ships in Scale, Model Shipbuilder, Nautical Research journal i could not even give away.
if i can get the book on line as a Ebook or PDF file that is how i would go.
 
Nothing beats holding a book in your hand. That being said, being able to carry lots of books on a reader is also great. They are available generally anywhere (assuming you use cloud storage of some sort). If you want a printout of a single page, ebooks are typically easier since you don't need to scan or photograph first. Typically less expensive to own (Initial cost as well as having physical storage space). PDF's are great for making notes in electronic format if you have the right software (of course you can also write in the margins of a real book if you want). I would opt for ebooks these days if both were available.
 
This is a really good question and subject for discussion. My preferred choice is the hard copy, maybe I am old school, but I love to turn pages and that smell of the publishing ink. At the same time, I am not a collector and will buy paperback books as they are cheaper but provide the same subject matter.
I do appreciate the portable format of books as well, but not all books are converted and available on the market, though.

Reading either format books benefits both your physical and mental health, and those benefits can last a lifetime.
 
WE have to be aware, that most of the publications are and will never be available as e-books.
I prefer to have them printed in hand and I like to see them standing in my library........ but maybe I am too old school
Good points from everyone, and as Uwe points out, for some books there never will be a choice.

To give some more specificity to the question: which format do you think makes for a better desk reference? Here are some of my own thoughts:

- I can flip through an eBook with one hand, but hard-copy books won't time-out while they sit on the bench
- Hard copy books are more forgiving of dust, glue and spilled coffee
- eReaders take up less bench space (especially if you have a way to suspend them above the bench
- It might be marginally easier moving back and forth between multiple references in hard-copy than eReader, but eReaders will hold your place for you
- Both can be bookmarked and highlighted, but eReaders are searchable

I think I lean toward eBooks as my preference, but I agree with Jeff, Uwe and Jim that there just seems to be something "right" about having the real thing.
 
i have no problem with a book library i personally have a library of 100 or so books. Uwek is correct some of the book i have are not nor will they every be available as a PDF or Ebook. So you have no choice but to buy the book. I also have books in my collection i have not looked at for years because maybe lost interest in the subject the book covers, does not cover my ever changing interests. or whatever but there they sit collecting dust.
it depends on the reason to get the book in the first place. If all you want is information on the hobby of model ship building this forum is your best bet here you will get a variety of information. If you have a life long interest in maritime history and you scratch build models, write articles, or answer forum questions then a personal reference library is a good thing to have. As i said in the last post as an investment forget it some books i have are selling for less than what i originally paid for them. When a journal comes out with all past issures on CD or downloadable PDF that renders the hard copy worthless.

go here as the internet gets better museums, historical collections and on line Elibraries will get better and better

 
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With ebooks being so cheap and used books in good condition being even cheaper, I may just get both. :) Surely, it must be the least expensive aspect to this hobby...
 
To add to @Namabiiru 's list
-hard copy don't have cords or batteries that die at the most inopportune moments
-ebooks don't require a reading light

My preference depends on what the book is for. It's hard to beat a good old fashioned hard copy to kick back and read for pleasure. That's likely my preference for this because of my age, that's all that was readily available for the majority of my life.

For reference ebooks are my preference, searchability and ability to zoom illustrations are great features. Convenience of having it on my phone and therefore nearly always available is also invaluable.

I do prefer hard copy for modeling so far. Nice to have the manual open to quickly look at an illustration. Also I look at a computer screen much of my work day so that's also a factor.
 
A book is a book.
An e-book is no book at all. It will never be truly yours.
 
A book is a book.
An e-book is no book at all. It will never be truly yours.
If one's objective is to possess the thing, then I concede your point. However, if one's objective is to possess the knowledge to be gained from the information contained therein, then I would beg to disagree.

My question wasn't about the best way to build a book collection (in so saying, it is not my intent to denigrate such activity as a worthy endeavor); it was about what people found to be the most practical resource as a model-builder. I do admit that I did not phrase that very clearly in my original post.

I also acknowledge that personal preferences are not universal. What works for one may not work for others. I'm just trying to learn from the experience of others who may have had cause from time-to-time to keep references on the bench to help them through a build.
 
One advantage of e-books of different formats is as your eyes age you can increase the text size or photo size to get a better view.

I have a few e-books, of different subjects, and a library online of my model train magazines, easier to look than having to thumb thru shelf for a subject.

But all points made are great, and nothing wrong with any of them. I comes down to personal preference and what you have room to keep.
 
Quite agree, Kurt.

For now, I’ve ordered a few essentials in hard copy, because, yeah, I still dig books. But if I find that they spend a good deal of time on the bench, I will probably get the electronic format as well.
 
Give me a hard copy anytime. Holding a quality ref book in you hand or on the workbench is sheer joy. A book was meant to be read this way. Looking at a 6" kindle screen is not. I've grown up with printed matter and having serveral books laid out in front of you vs an electronic screen is no comparison. I have electronic versions of several AOS books as well as the printed versions. There is no comparison.
 
Give me a hard copy anytime. Holding a quality ref book in you hand or on the workbench is sheer joy. A book was meant to be read this way. Looking at a 6" kindle screen is not. I've grown up with printed matter and having serveral books laid out in front of you vs an electronic screen is no comparison. I have electronic versions of several AOS books as well as the printed versions. There is no comparison.
At the threshold of 80 and having grown up with hard cover paper books in my hands, often under the covers at night stealing some more time and pages in some adventure, I am unashamedly biased to books in my hands where I can feel the weight, sense how far I am along between the covers and have my fingers in multiple pages/places for fast comparisons. No batteries to die or connections lost in the clouds with these dust collecting loads on my sagging book shelves. Rich (PT-2)
 
On an emotional level, I agree with you both, Paul and PT-2 (and you, Pugwash ;) ). On a strictly practical, utilitarian level, I still think I lean toward eBooks, although they both have pros and cons as modeling references.

Great discussion, and I thank everyone for their input!
 
buying books seems to be a personal preference and intended use. I have all the Anatomy of Ship series books and these are not the type of book you sit down and read like a story. They are strictly a reference book, in this case a PDF is far more useful. Taking a quick look at the books i have none of them are really a book you would sit down and read page by page cover to cover like say a mystery novel. Actually once you know who did it you usually don't start from page one and read the book again.
The books in my collection are not like manuals with step by step instructions so there is no need to have the book on my workbench.
As an example last week i wanted information on waterways and building up the bulkwards on a ship. I sat down a flipped through different books and learned ok this is how it was done on schooners, on war ships, on clipper ships in the 1700s and in the 1800s etc. Now i know so armed with information i can go to my work area and design and build, no need for an open book on the bench.
Anothe oddity i started my library back in the early 1970s and by the time i stopped adding books i have over 100. couple years ago i go interested in naval steam ships and decided to design and build the engine room of the steam frigate Mississippi. going to my personal library of 100+ books and years of collecting and i don't even know how much money invested there was nothing, zero, zip not a single bit of information. I got 100 times more information on line and now i have a PDF library of marine steam engines, history of steam, construction of a hull for steam,

keep in mind this post is from someone who does not sit down and read a book word for word page by page, i speed read and scan through a book looking for information and only information i do not care at all the "feel" of holding a book or turning pages. Book are nothing more than a tool to achieve an end result, the faster and quicker i can get the information i need the better things are. Now i wonder once you learn the information and you know "who done it" the book becomes obsolete.
 
buying books seems to be a personal preference and intended use. I have all the Anatomy of Ship series books and these are not the type of book you sit down and read like a story. They are strictly a reference book, in this case a PDF is far more useful. Taking a quick look at the books i have none of them are really a book you would sit down and read page by page cover to cover like say a mystery novel. Actually once you know who did it you usually don't start from page one and read the book again.
The books in my collection are not like manuals with step by step instructions so there is no need to have the book on my workbench.
As an example last week i wanted information on waterways and building up the bulkwards on a ship. I sat down a flipped through different books and learned ok this is how it was done on schooners, on war ships, on clipper ships in the 1700s and in the 1800s etc. Now i know so armed with information i can go to my work area and design and build, no need for an open book on the bench.
Anothe oddity i started my library back in the early 1970s and by the time i stopped adding books i have over 100. couple years ago i go interested in naval steam ships and decided to design and build the engine room of the steam frigate Mississippi. going to my personal library of 100+ books and years of collecting and i don't even know how much money invested there was nothing, zero, zip not a single bit of information. I got 100 times more information on line and now i have a PDF library of marine steam engines, history of steam, construction of a hull for steam,

keep in mind this post is from someone who does not sit down and read a book word for word page by page, i speed read and scan through a book looking for information and only information i do not care at all the "feel" of holding a book or turning pages. Book are nothing more than a tool to achieve an end result, the faster and quicker i can get the information i need the better things are. Now i wonder once you learn the information and you know "who done it" the book becomes obsolete.
We are fortunate that our ancient predecessors did not have a read it and done with it or the Greek and ancient resources translated by the Arabic scholars and finally recognized by our European ancestors preserved and passed along those documents for present day continuing research. Just a thought. Rich (PT-2)
 
We are fortunate that our ancient predecessors did not have a read it and done with it or the Greek and ancient resources translated by the Arabic scholars and finally recognized by our European ancestors preserved and passed along those documents for present day continuing research. Just a thought. Rich (PT-2)
In the words of Bob Dylan, “For the times, they are a-changin’” ;)
 
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