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Subject:Re[2]: value of books From:Joyce Flaherty <flahertj -at- SMTPGW -dot- LIEBERT -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 16 Nov 1995 14:07:44 EST
Text item: Text_1
On Wed, 15 Nov 1995, Peter Kent wrote:
"do we need books anymore, when we have multimedia." Another
participant, in his early 20s I think, stated that for his generation
the printed word really wasn't very effective anymore, and that
multimedia was a quicker way to share information.
On Thur, 16 Nov 1995, Andy Todd responded:
That participant was an idiot. Ever try reading "Moby Dick" while
siting at a computer terminal?
Andy tasks me. "He tasks me, and I shall have him."
First, supporting the premise that multimedia is a quicker way
to share information does not qualify an individual as an idiot.
If we are talking about pure information retrieval, the participant
might be correct. I'm not even positive that the multimedia part
is a requirement. IMHO, a relational information database does not
lend itself to the printed page anymore.
Second, I don't want to read Moby Dick sitting at my terminal.
I MIGHT, however, want to download my copy of Moby Dick from an
online service, print a copy, and curl up in front of the fire
with my 8 1/2 x 11 loose-leaf pages.
