My first encyclopedia when I was young was a CD-ROM edition of Britannica. It had a superficially deep article on almost everything, and made for endless hours

My first encyclopedia when I was young was a CD-ROM edition of Britannica. It had a superficially deep article on almost everything, and made for endless hours of joyful exploration. Then one day I found a complete 1958 paper edition of the Britannica in a dumpster - in perfect condition, no dirt or damage. It was an entirely different world. The degree to which it surpassed the digital edition defies description. The articles on various machines, chemical reactions, fortifications, etc. seemed detailed enough to replicate all of these wonders with my own hands, had I the time or resources. The coverage of most historical events seemed intellectually top-notch and well-researched. That was when I first understood that the transition to digital media is not an unmitigated good, and that much is being lost - without many people necessarily noticing. I still have the 1958 Britannica, and I intend to keep it for the rest of my days. Some of the articles inside (in particular, on mathematical concepts) are unmatched in their quality by Wikipedia or even Wolfram MathWorld.