Comments on: Are ebooks the new CD-ROM? http://www.meanboyfriend.com/bunsblanketsbears/2009/08/are-ebooks-the-new-cd-rom/ That's how to run a library Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:47:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: A-books? « Librarian 1.5 http://www.meanboyfriend.com/bunsblanketsbears/2009/08/are-ebooks-the-new-cd-rom/comment-page-1/#comment-5 A-books? « Librarian 1.5 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:54:55 +0000 http://www.meanboyfriend.com/bunsblanketsbears/?p=89#comment-5 [...] up a new discussion on the future of e-books. It started with a post on Buns, blankets and bears; Are ebooks the new CD-ROM?, that I discovered on Twitter. I ReTweeted the post and it was posted on FriendFeed where Walt [...] [...] up a new discussion on the future of e-books. It started with a post on Buns, blankets and bears; Are ebooks the new CD-ROM?, that I discovered on Twitter. I ReTweeted the post and it was posted on FriendFeed where Walt [...]

]]> By: Owen Stephens http://www.meanboyfriend.com/bunsblanketsbears/2009/08/are-ebooks-the-new-cd-rom/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Owen Stephens Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:09:01 +0000 http://www.meanboyfriend.com/bunsblanketsbears/?p=89#comment-4 The idea of a 'book' is getting increasingly blurry. An iPhone app called 'mass effect' is described as a 'story-based experience', and there are more examples of 'animated' graphic novels. I also think that interactive fiction is an interesting area - and some of these are also accompanied by music and animated illustration. These blur the line between reading, watching and playing! The new CD-ROM? I'm not sure - in the end CD-ROM was a physical format and delivery mechanism rather than a type of thing. However, I think you are right in the sense that perhaps it was an early indication of how our experience of 'reading' might change. The idea of a ‘book’ is getting increasingly blurry. An iPhone app called ‘mass effect’ is described as a ‘story-based experience’, and there are more examples of ‘animated’ graphic novels.

I also think that interactive fiction is an interesting area – and some of these are also accompanied by music and animated illustration. These blur the line between reading, watching and playing!

The new CD-ROM? I’m not sure – in the end CD-ROM was a physical format and delivery mechanism rather than a type of thing. However, I think you are right in the sense that perhaps it was an early indication of how our experience of ‘reading’ might change.

]]> By: Helen http://www.meanboyfriend.com/bunsblanketsbears/2009/08/are-ebooks-the-new-cd-rom/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Helen Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:29:01 +0000 http://www.meanboyfriend.com/bunsblanketsbears/?p=89#comment-3 I love the idea. I would love books with (optional) atmospheric soundtracks, especially author chosen, though I expect that would only come with the big money-spinner books. Considering the lack of investment in even cover design for many academic titles, perhaps we would end up with even more of a divide between exciting multimedia bestsellers, and text-only 'worthy' titles. Gazing dimly into the future... would some readers become multimedia only users? Reliant on images, films and snappy sfx? Would there be a new reading snobbery with some saying the text-only books are the ones really worth reading? I can also just imagine the commercial applications - the movie tie-in ebooks now - screenshots from the film, teaser trailers, soundtrack snippets... linked to Amazon where you can buy it all. I love the idea. I would love books with (optional) atmospheric soundtracks, especially author chosen, though I expect that would only come with the big money-spinner books.

Considering the lack of investment in even cover design for many academic titles, perhaps we would end up with even more of a divide between exciting multimedia bestsellers, and text-only ‘worthy’ titles.

Gazing dimly into the future… would some readers become multimedia only users? Reliant on images, films and snappy sfx? Would there be a new reading snobbery with some saying the text-only books are the ones really worth reading?

I can also just imagine the commercial applications – the movie tie-in ebooks now – screenshots from the film, teaser trailers, soundtrack snippets… linked to Amazon where you can buy it all.

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