> [mailto:CONLANG@listserv.brown.edu] On Behalf Of Nomad of Norad --
David C Hall
> As ebook readers (the actual, hand-held device, rather than the
computer
> program) come down in price and get better (I'm looking forward to
the
> color models that are supposed to be in the works), more books and
stuff
> will be distributed as PDFs. At some point, I aim to distribute
at
> least some of my own material as PDFs.
I'll agree the handheld devices have a long way to go. I usually
just read things sitting at my desk in my home office. I like
having the internet handy anyway because reading usually stimulates
some type of thought process that leads me to researching the
subject more.
> I don't have cats on hand to cut my physical documents to shreds,
> though... :D
If it's on a desk, table or other horizontal surface, it will soon
find its way onto the floor unless it's nailed down or locked up.
That's just what they do. You should see what they do with rolls of
paper towels.
> Until that day, though, I still enjoy having some works in hard
copy
> form, particularly since it makes it easier for me to read them in
bed.
Insomniacs like me aren't supposed to read in bed.
> > Yes, I too have gone completely digital with the music. It's
nice to
> > have the entire collection in my at work, at home, in my cars,
and
> > whereever else. Much easier than juggling a couple hundred
CD's.
>
> I, too, have moved all my music to MP3s and stuff, on a Network
Attached
> Storage system, and I buy much of my music from eMusic.com and
the like
> these days.
I have my collection duplicated on several devices: Ipod, USB hard
drive plugged into a car stereo, media computer in the living room
(starting to love MythTV, much better than Windless Media Player),
and a Blackberry. The scheme also works well for keeping backups.
Likewise I have a large collection of reference materials stored
away electronically. Just about every webpage, PDF, or whatever
that I think I may refer back to someday has been archived. You
never know when those items will go offline. Not a very practical
situation if I had to file away every book and magazine that had
something interesting in it.