How come I feel this video was just a reason for Cypher to show off his book collection?

Physical books ought to come with a unique identifier for a free digital download of the book. Kind of like how vinyl records ought to come with a unique identifier for a free FLAC download of the music. Cue the sound of whining media and publishing executives.

Cool video that presented both sides really well, but we're going to need a follow up that is just about the cat

I download and print to paper. In my bound hardcover library I have about 2,500 titles (no fiction in the house.) For online, I download, print, and clip into folders. I find that, while digital reading may be good for info and quick research, for absorption and retention, there's nothing like paper. Besides, there's nothing better than curling up with a good book and some nosh before bedtime 🌙 .

This coincides with the gamer discussion on digital games vs physical copies and actually "owning" your copy and play access

While I usually listen to audiobooks I definitely think that physical copies are better for me. Being able to have something with a distinct feel and smell allows me to connect more deeply and pay more attention to the book.

If you only have digital books, you don't necessarily own the book and you may only be able to access it as long as you have your reader, tablet or computer. This requires electricity. If you are using a digital textbook, the server can restrict when and how much you can use the book. You may be limited to only the chapter assigned for a specific week. This prevents you from going back a chapter or reading ahead. This also prevents you from sharing the book or using it again at a later date. If you drop the course and take it again, you have to pay for the book again.

Interesting to see the perspective of a historian. One of the few disciplines in academia where (physical) books are still relevant for research. Most other disciplines have switched to online first (or only) peer reviewed papers as the primary form of publication. They also usually don't care about page numbers anymore. Regarding organising your literature: As a librarian I would highly recommend using a literature management software (like Zotero, JabRef, Mendeley, Endnote). There you can organise your library and search over all the metadata. The metadata of the publications can be imported automatically using ISBN or DOI (Zotero even gives you a warning when a paper in your library has been retracted). Furthermore it allows you to add notes to every entry and even annotate/highlight part of the PDFs and share them with other devices and persons. So you can look up all the notes you made when reading a document when you need to cite it. Citing works and creating a bibliography can also be automated by the reference management in those tools.

I think there is merit in having both as an option and Some books may warrant being kept in both forms. If the book is important be that cultural, personally, and/or scholarly that should warrant consideration for a physical copy. I have a lot of American history books I collected when getting my bachelor's degree and I will probably expanded that collection over time and when I go for a masters, especially for book directly related to by research. But outside of those topics I would opt for borrowing a book for a library or using a digital copy. I do prefer reading physical books myself so I may borrow a copy for the initial read, but then use the digital for future references.

For a long time i needed the convenience. Digital was great because my entire library fit in my carry on. I prefer print because i own the material and it cannot be altered later.

I absolutely prefer physical books. I have over 1700 volumes, with at least half or more being history related. I have no digital books, but I do listen to a lot of audiobooks on Libby

While I prefer digital books to physical books (I'm an abusive reader, and damage most books I read), there's no question that physical books are better. Technology can, and will, fail. If you take care of them, physical books can last forever.

I like the physical books more so that it's harder to be distracted. I find that if I read an e-book I'll click away and go on another app or start scrolling. I like audio books for morning walks and long drives but I usually reserve them for lighter content that I don't have to focus completely on or don't feel the need to take notes to research what I've read.

I like both depending on the situation. Physical books help make a room nicer. Talking to someone about books it can be nicer to show the book you mean by grabbing the physical copy. There's simply something more satisfying about owning physical books compared to a bunch of files. When studying, and needing to flick back and forth between pages, it's far easier to do with a physical book. Just drop a bookmark in and it's done. However, I read a lot in the bath and I'm not going to take a physical book in there with me. Even if I don't drop it (which I don't really care about doing with my crappy tablet) it's still going to be affected by the moisture level. I do a lot of online RPGing and for that I find it easier to have the books open as a PDF, often on a second monitor. Lastly, I'm getting old and I can feel it in my hands. Reading on a tablet is easier on my fingers than turning pages.

If I need to remember things or refer back, I prefer printed books. If I just want to enjoy myself and I don't care about referring back later, digital books or even audiobooks are more convenient.

I personally tend to favor digital everything, but I understand the appeal of physical media. It also heavily depends on what I'm using it for. Like, when making characters for TTRPGs, I really like being able to copy and past text from the PDF to my character sheet to ensure that I have the exact information. But more physical media is also really nice to have. Like I have a bunch of DVDs and BDs of shows I also have a digital copy of, because sometimes I want to use the physical media instead because I like the whole ritual of getting out a disk and putting it into the player before settling onto my couch with my cat and a drink. 11:44 I've recently been running into this sort of problem with my pictures collection and have started splitting off my general folder into more specific things like reaction images or banners and such.

As a historian/librarian combo, I truly appreciate this video. You had an answer for every "but..." that I thought of throughout. 😅 I like both physical and digital depending on the text and what I need to get out of it, but have to say there's nothing quite like physical copies. I'm a highlighter/margin-notes writer so I highly depend on that. Also, Library of Congress > Dewey Decimal every single time for nonfiction, nobody can change my mind. Your digital library is highly impressive. Also, I love your cat, who is my late kitty's twin. Just more patient with being handled than she was 😮‍💨

BOTH!!!! digital on the go, ink and paper in the home compund. Any book worth reading is worth reading twice.

Sir, I prefer both digital and physical when practical. Digital books are easier to sift through when researching. Physical books are much less prone to being revised or deleted. It is easier to cancel digital books than it is to hunt down every copy of a physical book and toss them on a bonfire. I really like that you differentiate between the several formats of digital books. Thanks for this presentation.

The best case scenario is having a digital copy and a physical copy so you can consult your library when you're away but still have a book in your hands when you're home. If I had to choose one, I'd probably stick with physical books because there's a tactile joy in flipping pages, highlighting and scribbling notes that digital books just can't replicate for me.

As someone who enjoys mobility, word finders, high lighting, affordablity etc; I prefer digital any day of the week personally.

I love physical books (better for note/quote taking, better user experience, I love the hoard.) I also love digital books (lighter weight, adjustable font size, can read at night.) In the end, I use e-books more often myself mainly because of cost combined with the ability to carry an entire library in my pocket. I also have a physical library, what with running a classroom for ESL/EFL and physical books being a ready resource for students to borrow and use (the physical books also count as a business expense while the digital books don't. This combined with the limited space means I need to curate the physical library, but I can go nuts with the digital.)

There's strong examples of why both are very useful, I feel like they only compliment and enhance each other. But let's still please never get rid of physical books!❤

I usually prefer physical books, but I do like to read ebooks either when they’re classics in the public domain (and thus available to download for free) or if I’ve got funds available I’ll buy ebooks on sale when they’re at a steep discount.

i love reading physical books, but when im writing, i need the pdfs to control+f and to copy block quotes

Its easier to distribute and up date digital information than books. But things that never change can be in either form. I like my fiction to be in book form. But my science to be digital since it needs to be updated often.

I prefer physical books because it suits the way i read. I like making lots of margin notes and underlining passages, doesn't matter if it's non-fiction or fiction. I know an e-reader (eg a Kindle) allows readers to do this as well, but it feels more intuitive doing it by hand

I prefer physical reading but however digital does has its benefits and cons like having it on your phone or pocket i mainly read from my kindle app. Physical media is always important.

Very interesting subject. I love your meta videos. 🌟 Paper : I’m able to comment in the margins. Which I do a lot! 🙄 It’s a plus for a geek like me who likes to express and further an opinion. But a minus since it “ruins” the book for resale or passing on. Audio: Possibly more eco. And I do love hearing the author’s voice, especially for memoirs (recent: David Mitchell). If it’s not the author, I want someone with a real interest or connection to the work, like the actor in the television adaptation reading the original novel (ex.: Christopher Timothy reading James Herriot.)

I started collecting books when I was 19. I had quite the smorgasbord, but a lot of history books. In 2004 I was 28 with a collection of about 150+ books. I was at work one day and got picked up by my band mates. Apparently the housing right next to ours burst into flames. It's was so hot our building started to smolder so the fire department doused our place blowing out our windows and soaking with water and ash our place. I lost over half my collection in that accident. I was heartbroken. I've collected some more over the years, but I'm primarily digital because let's face it....shit happens

I never mark books (just feels wrong lol, like it would be defacing them - might be cause I used to rent and borrow books a lot more than buy them lol), so note-taking is the same for me whether I'm reading physical or digital - I just keep a separate document, and usually include a page number in parentheses. Generally, I find it much easier to skim and gut physical books, whereas when reading a digital book I find it harder to flip through quickly without my eyes glazing over or getting caught on individual sections, so if I'm trying to get through something fast physical is always the best way to go. Digital copies are generally better for me because I can often stick them into text-to-speech software and either read along or do something with my hands while I listen, which is very helpful to me as someone who has a hard time putting all my attention into one activity lol. If it's a choice between a pdf with non-digitized text and a physical book, though, I prefer physical.

As a reader and author of books, I prefer a real book by a wide margin. The artwork looks better. The pages and letters look better. It's easier to read, as I'm not staring into a light source. You don't need an outlet or batteries to enjoy them. It feels better to hold. It's more satisfying to read and to finish. And there's no reflection or glare if you're reading in actual sunlight. There's a spiritual aspect, as a book fits in with nature in the way electronics do not (think of a stringed or brass musical instrument compared to synthesized sound). And it's actually much easier to find my favorite parts. It literally takes less time to open a book to a specific page (if you actually know your books). They look nice on my desk. And It's so much more accessible when we're talking about the 150 or so books on my desk (my personal favorites that I will reference or peruse whenever I feel like it). I can literally just pick it up from arms length away and open it. And if you're reading actual literature, every edition has a profound loving essay at the beginning of each book written by someone who dedicated their life to literature. There's also so many rare books that are simply NOT in ebook form. You literally cannot find so many classic books in the ebook format. And then there's the artistic and workmanship aspect of it. And the format of ebooks always looks worse then the format of an actual book.

now here is a debate: hardback or paperback?

I love e-ink devices because of how clean and 'organic' the text sppears but tablet. That said my kindle doesn't do PDFs well and its harder to take notes on so I like a Android tablet for technical/ historical stuff still. E-ink wins for leisure reading.

Cool video. Will you do a video about your writing tools of choice?

I have the same version of Common Sense. 😂 I use good notes for pdf articles and kindle and iBooks for the books. But I prefer physical books because it’s easier to find your notations.

I love physical books, but they do take up space, and are bulky and hard to move. Digital books have so much value because some books are only available that way, and its allows people to read text they may not have been able to.

Love my physical books! I’m an architect and constantly researching code and hate when I have to do it digitally. It’s so much easier with my dozens colored physical book mark tabs. I loved seeing your bookshelf. Our shelves have some similar philosophies. My King James sits upside down but my orthodox Bible, gnostic bible, bhagavad-Gita & the origin of species sit proud with my favorite book ends. Ever read the Mayan Popol Vuh?

Books are one of the few pieces of media i refuse to get digitally and physical books are harder to censor and easier keep copies of.

While I like having physical books, I find digital to be much more convenient and flexible, hence why I pretty much do digital only for my work (whereas I have physical books for pleasure)

I have software development coworkers that have preferred paper and like... whhhyyy? You can't ctrl-F nor can you copy and paste the code examples to try

I prefer hardcover books, but I do love my kindle.

Digital. Definitely. Easier to move, easier to get, you can change the font sizes.

Do you make book recommendation videos?

Its an interesting question and a nice way of discussing it kindly, especially as a dyslexic person I don't like to tread on this one. Not to mention the integrity of showing the library how it is, even though KZfaq has been known to demonetize videos which show alcohol, which as a teetotaler myself I find preposterous. Granted I'm 30 and computer games are most of what are on my bookshelves (I have some books but a good number of them are props). Hope you have a nice day.

I don't know about anyone else, but reading off a screen for too long hurts my eyes. I also love audiobooks, especially for the long drives my job has me do. The main problem with them is that it isn't very easy to come back to them for research purposes.

Physical books: Tactile, easy to riff through to find a reference, you can write on the page margins and you own it forever. E-Books - good for collecting titles you never get around to reading, compact, carry uour library everywhere. However, I'm 60 so I have a house big enough to have an area set aside as a library and us boomers have ruined housing for everyone else who are told to feel grateful for being able to rent a shoebox apartments at eye watering prices. Try having a library in an apartment...

I prefer videos because I can’t read….i literally haven’t read a book since 8th grade in 2010.

I’m always so torn between physical (costly, need room to store) and digital (whether bought or borrowed, tactile experience just isn’t the same). Was that Joe Sacco’s “Paying the Land” in your digital collection?

I want to dispute the storage cost is cheaper on digital books since you will have to use cloud storage to back it up (I built a home storage server still use cloud as well). Over a decade the bookcase cost will be a wash and you are unlikely to need to change storage methods.

Physical books, because I actually own them.

I prefer physical books. Never cared for Kindle or e-books. If the book is very long I usually get both a physical copy and the audiobook version so I can listen to some of it while I'm either exercising or cleaning my house or anything else that can't involve reading.

As an historian, the ability to search for phrases in e-books trumps anything else

Both. Both are good. That's my opinion.

I love physical books if it's important and I want to actually own my books. I don't want Amazon reaching into my library and taking books I paid for from me or changing the text of my books because there's a few pages that say some things that society at large frowns upon. I can see the government having a problem with people's digital copies of 1984. That day ever comes don't worry I got a physical copy that we can read from. Sure hope the fire department never shows up tho.

I quite enjoy reading comic books on digital ebooks… …just saying.

I have 12-16 cubic feet of physical books. They’re a pain to move. I threw away medical textbooks from the 90’s because they’re way out of date. I love how King Richard I got upset about having more of his private space on video.

Cypher: "Digital or physical books?" Me with ADHD: 🙃

Cypher is one of the rare people with a copy of Mein Kampf where I am not worried upon hearing that he has that...

There is no "better." There is preference, there is "better for the situation" (my Grandma loved to read and just being able to enlarge the font on an eBook would have been far easier than buying a bunch of large-print books)... Physical and eBooks both have drawbacks and advantages. A physical book needs no power but can only be annotated, highlighted once. An eBook needs power but the highlights, annotations, bookmarks, etc. will sync across devices and can be printed, altered, deleted, added onto... The advantages/disadvantages of physical books vs. eBooks are numerous. There is no better. There is preferable for a given situation, purpose, time, etc. And personal preference. As far as I am concerned the only better is reading is better than not reading.

Either is fine, just as long that people actually read!

Both I find physical books easier to read but digital is easier to search for key words

All of my 862 books are on audible

I prefer physical books when I'm home. I also like audiobooks.

I like digital books for casual reading but goodness could I not stand digital textbooks in college. It screwed with my focus so bad. I am a physical book reader 9/10 times. It’s awful moving them all from rental to rental though haha.

On the comment of print books weirdly coming out before digital copies... It's not universal, and I don't think it's weird. There's a lot of pop literature that goes digital before it goes print. And as far as the gap, formating. A lot of epubs do different things from the print, like hyperlinking their footnotes and compiling them at the end, not to mention most texts lining up a location with an associated physical print page. And that's before you get to things like all the little mechanical tricks that made Discworld novels unique (as an example.)

I tend to prefer physical books overall,but Digital are sooo accesible and convenient.

I was going to say "angry boomer moth noises incoming" but I see vKing already caught him. :-P

I only clicked on this cause I saw my GOAT Thomas Paine. 🐐

HERES A CRAZY MOVIE TO REVIEW GUNBUS (1986)

Ain’t nobody living in big houses anymore, there is no space for books.

Physical obviously

Audio!!!

Physical. 100%

I still don't understand why the Quran and Bible are upside-down.

Digital books don't burn.📖🔥👍🏾

102nd

Another plus with leather bound books, gatekeeping knowledge from vegans.

physical, keep relying on licensing technology at the behest of capitalists and see where it gets you.

Ai generated books are better

Both are good