iPad, First Look

[wb4jfi]

Philip Miller Tate wrote:
>
> On 3 Apr 2010, at 17:23, Joseph Bento wrote:
>
>> I'm leery of electronic only books.  I'll still take paper in most 
>> instances.  I'm worried that if some publications begin coming out in 
>> iBook or Kindle format only, what will one do 10, 20,or 30 years down 
>> the line?
>>
>> Joe, N6DGY
>>
>
>
> I too prefer the traditional pulped-tree format, not least because I 
> have the decoding software permanently in ROM. Well, as permanently as 
> any ROM will allow.
>
> I couldn't see the point of e-books and e-readers at all, until 
> university science textbooks started to appear in that format. 
> Students can now load all their major textbooks onto one slim reader, 
> carry them all with them, access additional information on-line, and 
> add their own footnotes as well. That has got to be a big benefit.
>
> Phil M1GWZ
>
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>
I would agree for normal reading.  However, while playing with FPGAs, or 
working on software, I like to have several reference books available.  
If I'm on travel that adds up to an additional heavy bag.  I've started 
trying to find pdfs of most of the reference books that I like to 
regularly use, and have already paid for.  Having them in a separate, 
thin, lightweight reader would be an advantage.

My big concern right now is that we are in a multi-pronged Betamax vs 
VHS war.  With Kindle, Sony, and others already in the market, having 
Apple add their proprietary format is too much.  I want to see the dust 
settle and hopefully a winner (or at most, two) come out of this first.  
Meanwhile, I will find PDFs that I can view on my laptop.
Terry