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The Perfect Technology
- 06/11/09
- 39
About a year ago I wrote a review of Amazon’s Kindle reading device. At the time, I loved it. That was then. A couple of months ago I traded my Kindle to a friend for a stack of old-fashioned ink-on-paper commentaries. This is now. I think I made a good trade. He is enjoying the Kindle and I am enjoying the commentaries. Win-win. Something changed between then and now—I came to see that all of the things that frustrated me about the Kindle were things that made it not like a book. It’s book-like qualities were it’s best qualities; it’s non-book-like qualities were the ones that got to me. All of the things that annoyed me were the things that made the experience more like operating a computer and less like reading a book. Pages took too long to turn; I could not splash yellow highlighter on the pages; I could not skim through the book looking quickly for a word or phrase or note; I could not scrawl notes in the margins. Sure, there were a few advantages—the notes I did take (saved in a text file on the Kindle) could be exported to my computer simply by plugging in a USB cable; books were less expensive and instantly added to my collection; hundreds of classics were available for free. But overall, the Kindle experience paled in comparison to the happy, familiar, comforting experience of sitting down with a book. Everything I wanted the Kindle to do, a book could do better.
Books are the perfect technology. I’m convinced of it. This is why the Kindle experience failed me—it was an attempt to make the book better. And this is impossible to do. There is no technology more perfectly suited to its purpose than this one. In comparison to the book, any e-reader falters and fails.
Consider: I can take a book from my shelf—I have 1,000 or 1,500 within six feet of me, and it is immediately on and ready to go. There is no waiting for it to boot up and no questions about its compatibility or obsolescence. I open the book and it immediately does what it was created to do, without first needing an 8-hour charge of its battery. I can store within that book a full history of my interaction with it not fearing that this will be lost when a hard drive crashes or when my hardware becomes obsolete. I can see every note, every highlight I’ve ever done. I can see how I interacted with that book—the parts of the book that brought me delight and the parts that brought me to despair. The pages turn instantly and are numbered for easy reference. When I have completed the book, I can put it back on my shelf or I can lend it to another person so he, too, can read it and, if he so desires, see how I have interacted with it. Despite being printed on dead trees, there is a living quality to books that is lost on e-readers.
Though the words in each may be the same, there is more to a book than its words. A book is an experience, and the experience includes the media through which we consume those words. Reading a book printed on paper, reading a book on a reading device and listening to a recording of a book are, at least in some way, different experiences.
Since the launch and overwhelming success of the Kindle, much ink has been spilled (scratch that and replace it with “many pixels have been lit”) discussing the future of the book. For the first time, people are now turning in large numbers to a device that allows them to read books on a gizmo that is not made of dead trees (though, ironically, the manuals telling how to use said device are still printed on dead trees). With the iPod and iPhone becoming increasingly positioned as reading devices, the chorus swells. There are hundreds of books and articles struggling to understand what it means for the word to transition from print to bits, from paper to screens. The consequences, I am convinced, are profound and I think we are prone to underestimate them.
As for me? Well, I am sure I’ll take another stab at an e-reader at some point in the future; it’s probably inevitable. But I would be awfully surprised if I ever allow such a device to become a substitute for all the ink and paper surrounding me on all sides here in my office. Unless the e-book can become more perfect than an already perfect technology, I’m going to stick with paper.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
Releasing on April 1, The Next
Published in 2008, this book
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Comments (39)
It’s ironic how sometimes the best technologies can be 500 years old— it’s futile to attempt to improve on the book.
-CJ
That’s all well and good for one book, or even a library of books within six feet of you. But the book loses it’s “perfection” as soon as you have to travel, as I’ve discovered over the last little while. The computer screen may never do exactly what a book does, but at this stage in my life, I’d rather have everything on a stick in my pocket or in ‘the cloud’ rather than inaccessible on my shelf at home!
As someone who has never had a desire for a Kindle and loves books, I appreciate this reflection. I may be reading too much into your comment about books being on “dead trees,” but it’s important to remember that trees are a renewable agricultural resource. There is nothing inherently immoral about cutting down trees to make paper for books or for any other use.
Like you, I struggled to see how the Kindle improved the book experience. That is when I discovered that the problem isn’t the Kindle, but my inability to use the Kindle to its potential.
The Kindle certainly has a long way to go, but it does have a lot of useful features already.
You can highlight text, take notes, search those notes, export the notes to collect them for writing book reviews for instance. The Kindle has an inline dictionary too.
I was used to jumping to the book index to look something up or flipping through a book to find something. It was really a paradigm shift to find out I can search the whole book for a word or phrase.
I wouldn’t give up on the technology yet. I think we need to realize that technology will ultimately make things more efficient but it requires us to change some old habits and try new things.
I’d tease you by saying you’re just too old to appreciate the Kindle…but I’m a generation older than you, an many of those who buy the Kindle are older than I am. They are happy to be able to have large, clear type, or to have a device that reads to them.
I’ve never owned a Kindle, but suspect that my reactions would be similar to yours.
Me too. And can someone tell all the guys in Sunday School and Worship to put down their PDAs when reading Scripture and open up the Bible? Distracting!!
Call me an old geezer but I prefer the book . I have downloaded a few to my computer , but have found I end up printing them off and putting them in a binder . When you said that there is a living quality to books , that is so true. I love pulling down a old book , its like a friend I haven’t seen for a while. Crazy as that sounds . I will stick to the printed page.
I too scratched Kindle off my list when I read a number of reviews. I like my ebooks on my PC. I don’t have the physical space for 1000’s of volumes. Being able to compare verses from multiple translations is helpful, as is comparing commentaries. I know I’m an oddball, but I almost never mark a book or a bible verse with a comment (or highlight). I think that once marked you’ll most likely see it the same way every time you encounter it. This is particularly true of bible verses; you’ll see the coment and move on never considering the verse in a different light. Paper is made from live trees, albeit freshly harvested
“A book is an experience.” You summed it up for me right there. I can’t imagine not having my paper and ink readings. I do read more and more on-line, but no technology can substitute for curling up in front of a fire or on the beach with real pages I can turn.
Thank you for that post. You were able to verbalize my gut feelings regarding the Kindle. After reading your post, I’m convinced that I won’t be purchasing the device anytime in the near future.
While I don’t have an e-book reader yet, I did just finish my review for Paul Miller’s A Praying Life, which I read entirely on my laptop with the Adobe Digital Editions Reader. Having to read it on the laptop probably doubled the time it would’ve taken me to read the book than if it were in the traditional book format. I’m definitely intrigued by e-book readers and would love to get one, but I don’t think it would ever completely replace traditional books for me. Building my library and reading books is an enjoyable pastime for me and I don’t think digital files on a computer or e-book reader would give me quite the same enjoyment.
I love my books, but i also love my Kindle - primarily because it is portable. I would never give up the books on the shelf in my study, and I still enjoy curling up with a good book at home; but as a pastor I find myself setting in waiting rooms and other places and enjoy being able to read. The free access to a large number of classics is also appealing to a limited budget. My family bought me a Kindle last Christmas and I have read about 5 books on it thus far. I love books, I hate reading on a computer, and the Kindle is a decent compromise. I’m glad I have all three! P.S. I probably qualify as a geezer.
I’m a book person. I like actual books.
I agree with everything you’ve stated here. I don’t have a Kindle and its only appeal to me would be to have the book I want to read instantly instead of going to a bookstore or ordering it online. (usually online) I also love the idea of having several books on the Kindle when on vacation because I am the type that reads several books and books can be heavy!
I also love the ease of sharing a book with others. I am not aware of the “rules’ of sharing electronic information, so I simply choose not to share.
I have some PDF’s of books on my computer and on my iphone, however, I don’t love to read things on screens and feel I “get” more out of a true book.
The one electronic things I do find quite useful is the online version of the ESV Study Bible. I’m surprised at how valuable I have found it.
Thanks for the perspective. Ah, the debate on technology, now that is a Greek word that has profound implications as I remember. I believe that both the book, which men have used for numerous years and the Kindle have great distinctions yet both are quite profitable for their use. Tim’s note about having 1,000 to 1,500 books in his close proximity may not be a luxury for many of us unless we were to go to a library. The Kindle being small is able to access through wifi some 250,000 tomes (most non-theological and non-religious) as well as daily news but then the Kindle was not created by a believer or the church at large. Amazon’s goal of the Kindle is not to get the Bible into the hands of every person, like the press of Gutenburg but to get information that is normally in books into the hands of many. It is a mobility product of technology, and like the book which can have huge implications such as cost, damage to environment, etc. We should not sell short the power of what technology can change, and although the Kindle at this time may be clumsy in looking for specific Scripture verses from a downloaded Bible, one of the great things about the Kindle was that the Bible downloaded was free. And in this day, for the Word of God to not have a price tag on it is, priceless.
The Perfect Technology
About a year ago I wrote a review of [Gutenburg’s book] device. At the time, I loved it. That was then. A couple of months ago I traded my [book] to a friend for a [roll] of old-fashioned ink-on-[sheep skin] commentaries. This is now. I think I made a good trade. He is enjoying the [book] and I am enjoying the commentaries. Win-win. Something changed between then and now—I came to see that all of the things that frustrated me about the [book] were things that made it not like a [scroll]. It’s [scroll]-like qualities were it’s best qualities; it’s non-[scroll]-like qualities were the ones that got to me. All of the things that annoyed me were the things that made the experience more like operating a [] and less like reading a [scroll]. Pages took too long to turn; I could not splash yellow highlighter [across multiple passages]; I could not skim through [long, multiple passages] looking quickly for a word or phrase or note []. Sure, there were a few advantages—[] [scrolls] were less expensive and instantly added to my collection; hundreds of classics were available for free. But overall, the [book] experience paled in comparison to the happy, familiar, comforting experience of sitting down with a [scroll]. Everything I wanted the [book] to do, a [scroll] could do better.
[Scrolls] are the perfect technology. I’m convinced of it. This is why the [book] experience failed me—it was an attempt to make the [scroll] better. And this is impossible to do. There is no technology more perfectly suited to its purpose than this one. In comparison to the [scroll], any [book] falters and fails.
Consider: I can take a [scroll] from my shelf—I have 1,000 or 1,500 within six feet of me, and it is immediately on and ready to go. There is no [flipping pages back and forth] and no questions about its compatibility or obsolescence. I open the [scroll] and it immediately does what it was created to do []. I can store within that [scroll] a full history of my interaction with it not fearing that this will be lost when a [page falls out] or when my hardware becomes obsolete. I can see every note, every highlight I’ve ever done. I can see how I interacted with that [scroll]—the parts of the [scroll] that brought me delight and the parts that brought me to despair. [Entire passages lay before me] and are numbered for easy reference. When I have completed the [scroll], I can put it back on my shelf or I can lend it to another person so he, too, can read it and, if he so desires, see how I have interacted with it. Despite being printed on dead [sheep skins], there is a living quality to [scrolls] that is lost on [books].
Though the words in each may be the same, there is more to a [scroll] than its words. A [scroll] is an experience, and the experience includes the media through which we consume those words. Reading a [scroll] printed on [sheep skin], reading a [scroll] on [pages] and listening to a recording [], at least in some way, different experiences.
Since the launch and overwhelming success of the [book], much ink has been spilled [] discussing the future of the [scroll]. For the first time, people are now turning in large numbers to a device that allows them to read [scrolls] on a gizmo that is not made of dead [sheep skins] (though, ironically, the manuals telling how to use said device are still printed on dead [sheep skins]). With the iPod and iPhone becoming increasingly positioned as reading devices, the chorus swells. There are hundreds of [scrolls] and articles struggling to understand what it means for the word to transition from [calligraphy] to [print], from [sheep skin] to [paper]. The consequences, I am convinced, are profound and I think we are prone to underestimate them.
As for me? Well, I am sure I’ll take another stab at a[] [book] at some point in the future; it’s probably inevitable. But I would be awfully surprised if I ever allow such a device to become a substitute for all the ink and [sheep skins] surrounding me on all sides here in my office. Unless the [book] can become more perfect than an already perfect technology, I’m going to stick with [sheep skins].
The previous note should have been prefixed with “Tongue firmly implanted in cheek” but I put “” around the comments and they don’t appear above. Sorry!
I usually agree with your posts 100%, but I have to defend the Kindle for a moment. I agree with your belief that books are better for commentaries and study material where you want to highlight and write in the margin. It’s much easier to flip through a book for easy reference than the Kindle.
But on the other hand, I love the convenience of the Kindle for general reading of novels. It’s awesome to hear about a new book and to have it in hand, ready to read in 60 seconds. I guess that sort of feeds into the instant gratification of our society, but I still enjoy that aspect.
Having said that, there really is nothing like the heft and feel of a book in your hand, whether it is a lengthy tome or just a short novellette. Does that make me want to give up my Kindle? Nah. But I’m certainly not getting rid of my library any time soon!
Xandra
Firstly, I must confess, I’ve never used Kindle or any other type of e-reader. That said, I adore the feeling that comes with picking up a book. I love that my well-loved books immediately flip open to my favorite parts because I’ve read them so much. I love the the excitement that comes with flipping the page of a never-before-read book - each turn of the page reveals the next part of the adventure. I’m 21 and every time I go to the library and see young kids reading, I think “There is hope for the future!” :)
It shouldn’t be an “either-or.” E-book readers have their place; books have their place.
We have the Bible on our Kindle; it’s clunky to navigate, and using it, I miss the comfort of holding the Bible and being able to instantly go to a referenced book, chapter, or verse. Something that is much harder to do on the Kindle, even with its computer-like navigation.
However, if I wish to read something straight through, then the Kindle has the advantage - unless it’s a book I will return to again and again.
Final point is permanence: all sorts of digital media formats are now obsolete and unusable. And this happened over the last 30 years, the blink of the eye.
Books, and paper, can last hundreds of years. And the technology will still be accessible if the books are physically preserved.
Ya know, Tim does resemble the helpdesk guy a bit in this video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFAWR6hzZek
(Happy sigh)… I simply love stories, and learning, in general. I’m 36 years old, but my eyes still light up and my heart still beats a little faster when someone reads aloud to me. If you will take the time to recount a personal experience to me, I will listen raptly, elbows resting on the table, chin resting in my upturned palms. I read new books, used books, magazines, billboards, body language, art, dance, music—even the way the breeze speaks to the trees—you name it! I am definitely all about the experience, and I delight in a variety of mediums—be they long-lost arts or those yet-to-be discovered. E-books and online reading have only multiplied my pleasure with regard to this cherished pasttime.
In my haste, in between meetings at work, I made several careless errors in my above post that will be obvious to the avid reader (and, quite frankly, are killing me). Among them are my incorrect rendition of the plural of medium as “mediums” (it should be “media”), hyphenating “yet to be” (which was originally going to modify a noun), and misspelling “pasttime” (it is “pastime”). My internal editing mechanism required that I correct these. :)
I was struck by the things I missed about paper books when I first read an e-book. E-books have no smell. I didn’t realize how much the smell of a freshly cracked book added to my enjoyment.
I see your point, but as a foreign missionary, something like the Kindle is perfect. Books are not cheap and easy to transport 5000 miles, but a small compact device that can hold hundreds of titles is. I actually don’t own a Kindle (yet). I’m still using the Kindle software for the iPhone, but just that by itself has been a huge advantage.
Oh, P.S. The irony of all this for me is that one of my hobbies is bookbinding!
I’ve had my Kindle 2 for 3 weeks and love it! I’m also I bookworm and have books stacked around my house. I really think you can have both in your world and be happy. I wouldn’t see the point of having commentaries or even study bibles on the Kindle. If you wrestle with text, you need a book, a highlighter and post it notes. If you want a seamless reading experience to relax and be reflective with John Piper, reading on a Kindle is ideal.
Seriously, you can have both options :-) The more options the merrier I say.
It really is sick the way we’ve become so technologically dependant, to the point people will make almost any excuse to defend their, need/want/sinful desire of technology which makes there life even lazier, I mean easier.
I have books (3000) and Kindle 2 - now that’s a real win / win!
I will never let go of my books! That’s all i have to say about that! :o)
Ironic that there’s an ad for Amazon on this page :)
Technology isn’t in and of itself evil. It’s what comes out of the human heart that makes a thing evil.
I was thinking about buying a Kindle, but just couldn’t get past the bad reviews. I really wanted to have an e-reader for some of my reading and ended up buying an iTouch. It was about the same price and I could do so much more with it. It’s not going to replace books, but it is convenient when I can’t just go and buy the book at my local bookstore.
It’ll be interesting how the technology will develop, but it will get better and eventually I think it could be better for a great number of people. I do a lot of my Bible reading on my computer Bible software and I can take very sophisticated notes with very little effort and have it completely searchable. But I also realize that not everybody likes staring at a computer/electronic screen for hours on end.
All I can say is go with what works for you. I’ll be a hybrid for now and hope that we can continue to achieve better tools to broaden our knowledge, especially of God and His Word.
Anyways… gotta go and do my daily Bible reading on my laptop and then continue to read The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment on my iTouch. ;-)
Tim,I think you would enjoy Arthur Hunt’s book (on paper!) entitled “The Vanishing Word.” He writes about implications of our being a people identified by and associated with a particular written word…and investigates the impact on our ability to understand/relate to “the word” in the face of modern technology. A little sentimental at times, perhaps, but a very worthwhile read. I’d love to see/hear/read your thoughts on Dr. Hunt’s book.
On another note, I visited a local “bookstore” recently and noticed that about 85% of the floorspace was dedicated to things other than books - videos, DVDs, computer and video games, etc. I commented on this to one of the clerks, who responded enthusiastically that this historic establishment was keeping well-abreast of the times. Made me sad.
I bought a Kindle in preparation for moving overseas to a place where English-language materials are few. Having a Kindle will enable me to have many resources I would not otherwise have access to. So, while there is no substitute for solid, hefty, sweet books, a Kindle serves a useful purpose.
How much does a stack of 1,500 books weigh? How much does a Kindle weigh? Consider that both are capable of storing the same content, but only one may be carried around with you. Stuffing 1,500 traditional books in your briefcase is a tad unwieldy.
The Kindle “experience” is not quite as good as a traditional book. That’s true. But the Kindle is not one book, it’s thousands of books… And I can have a new book in my hands, on demand, in 30 seconds, from just about anywhere.
I’m a missionary who works in Colombia, South America, and I’ve had my Kindle 2 for about 3 months. I thoroughly love it, although both the Kindle and books have their own advantages and weaknesses. You can read my blog post listed below to see my initial review. For me the cost savings of not having to pay international shipping and extra taxes makes the Kindle a no-brainer. I have become almost a saleman for the Kindle with all of my friends. I have not regretted my decision to buy one, even though they’re a little pricey.
http://lost-in-translation2.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-kindle-2-and-missionary-ministry.html
I love books. My books are precious friends, and as such, I have paid hundreds of dollars in excess baggage fees carrying them into the “creative access country” where I minister. Enough to make me wonder if my love for the ink-on-paper technology is idolatrous. ;-) I must say, however, that I was giddy with delight when my iPhone completed the ESV Study Bible download - months before I would have an opportunity to see a bound copy in person. I now have a significant library on my iPhone, which helps me resist the urge to carry half a dozen books (or more!) for a weekend trip….
You and John have me inquisitive, so I bought and read a good chunk of Postman’s “Technopoloy.” I wonder what Thamus would think about e-readers? He thought the coming of printed words was bad - that we would lose the art of developing wisdom in substitution for knowing mere facts.
I thought about getting the Kindle but when I realized that I am a book marking maniac I decided against it. Something about underlining and highlighting a books helps me to grasp more of what I am reading. I use Logos Bible Software and have many good commentaries but at times I do miss the ability to sit in a comfortable chair with a cup of coffee and read instead of being stuck at the computer. So though I am somewhat of a techy I still enjoy sitting and reading a book that I can destroy with my pen and highlighter!
Steve