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Chopping up books when they're physically too big

229 points · 211 comments · matt_kirkland

  1. spudlyo · · focus · HN ↗
    This seems like a lot of work for not a huge payoff. I get that the feel and experience of a physical book has a certain nostalgia, but for me, I'd just leave the big monster on the shelf and grab an epub from Anna's Archive. You have already ensured the author and publisher get paid, you might as well read on an e-reader, which is in my opinion superior in nearly every way to a physical book.

    Ebooks sync across devices, allow for a customized presentation, quick dictionary lookups, bookmarks, etc. The only slight edge I'll give to a physical book is the ability to easily make marginal notes in pencil -- I realize that ebooks have this feature too, it's just not as immediate or as frictionless.

    1. stronglikedan · · focus · HN ↗
      The problem with ebooks is that you cannot be 100% certain that you're reading the original text. That can only be preserved in physical copies. That's why the destructive book scanning for AI is such a tragedy. There's already plenty of examples of original texts being surreptitiously revised, and it happens with videos too.
      1. duskwuff · · focus · HN ↗
        > The problem with ebooks is that you cannot be 100% certain that you're reading the original text.

        That's equally true of print books. Misprints happen.

        1. krupan · · focus · HN ↗
          Not the same thing. The kindle ebook you "purchased" could have different text each time you open it up. A movie you stream could be different every time.
          1. ash_091 · · focus · HN ↗
            Reading your comment I wonder if the parent comment is different each time, because "does the ebook text change reading-to-reading" is not the question being discussed.
            1. cxr · · focus · HN ↗
              What's being discussed is "original texts being surreptitiously revised". The comment you're responding to isn't a nonsequitur.
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