Would you trade your books for an electronic version?
Amazon recently released a new version of its Kindle book reader, a device that allows users to buy and read books, newspapers and other publications in electronic form. Would you trade your books for an electronic version?
No. Amazon's system allows them to remove books from your Kindle, and limit the number of downloads. You don't own ebooks, you just rent them. -Ryan, St. Paul, MN
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I heart books! But for travel purposes I'd really like a kindle to cut down on bulk/damage. -Melissa, Mankato, MN
Never! Ill keep my books along with the letters i recieve in the mail, my typewriters and my records. Computers crash, are too expensive and break down way too easy and way too often. When they work like the phone I'm texting from they are convenient. -Noah, Hastings, MN
For something i just want to read i wouldn't mind a kindle but books that i'm passionate about losing the feel of the paper and the binding would be like the loss of the big pieces of art we lost when vinyl records went away. -Brandon Carriere, Le Sueur, MN
Novels-YES!, business and personal-NO! I think that both have a purpose, but we talk as if a person has to use one or the other. -Harvey Rupert
I think both ebooks and traditional books will coexist. I see a day when we will consume most of our media on electronic devices, and traditional books will be ordered as a boutique item on a one by one basis where you will have choices in paper, binding, and personalized messages. -Simon, St. Paul, MN
No way i am too vain i like displaying to all who visit my home all the books I've read. -Mike, Savage, MN
I have a Kindle. While I love it for reading all the novels I read (and would give away if I had purchased them), and for all the free sample chapters that help me shop , it will never fully replace books for me. I want to own some in hard copy, write in many, and hold others. Call me sentimental, but the visceral experience of holding or using a book I own is fundamental to my daily life. -Lynne Silva-Breen
What about passing on your favorite books to your kids or nieces and nephews? How many times have you "lost" electronic documents when your device "crashes?" I would like to have books on a shelf for my 10 year old to turn on to. -Terry, St. Cloud, MN
You can't take a paper book away from me like recently happened on the Kindle with some Orwell titles. I'll keep the paper, thanks. -Brian
Regarding ebooks: Anything that saves a tree is worth it. -Alex, Red Wing, MN
Does anyone else see the irony of ''big brother'' removing the Orwell books from kindle? -Brian, Grand Forks, MN
Not for me. I have more than 2000 research volumes. There is no way that most of these books will ever end up as an ebook. To say nothing of quality pictures. -anonymous text message
Absolutely not! I'm a 28 year old guy living in new york city and my most prized possession is my book shelf. -anonymous text message
No way! Aren't we trying to find ways to depend LESS on electricity and energy? Books are easy to share, wonderful to hold, and do not require a plug-in! -anonymous text message
Half the fun of buying old books is reading what people wrote in them. If books are all put online, an entire genre of thoughtful gifts will disappear! -anonymous text message
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