4 ms·

I read a lot. I just happen to do most of my reading online. I don't follow the notion that what we read online by default has less value than what is availabl

I read a lot. I just happen to do most of my reading online. I don't follow the notion that what we read online by default has less value than what is available to us in books. I have learned a lot from what I've read online, whether it's long form articles, Wikipedia articles, piecemeal submissions that make up online forum/community sites or even IRC logs. The mere fact that something is available in book form is not a guarantee of it's accuracy nor a guarantee of the author's credibility.

cortesoft 12y ago
I don't think the author is arguing that that books are more accurate or more credible than other forms of writing. What the author is arguing is that books provide a different sort of experience than those other forms of writing.
zanny 12y ago
Or more particularly how the online stuff can surpass the dead tree stuff. I have no desire to go to a bookstore and read "acclaimed authors" works, because once you dig enough you find the sites and the communities of authors that are constantly producing fantastic longform fiction for any genre out of passion. I am also finding (and now backing) a lot of them on things like patreon too. Its a new medium. Its awkward to talk to some clients I have who do read the old way - because they will never hear of the authors I read, because I read hundreds of "amateur" authors who produce millions of words a year. And of course, online literature is 95% swill and 5% silver lining. It means you do get hit with a lot of underwhelming crap. But you still have the same thing predominantly happen in normal bookstores - maybe the ratio is better, but you still have to find your authors and interests all the same. And something about clicking through pages of writing online seems to beat pouring over isles of heavy tomes seeking satisfaction.

4 ms·

I read a lot. I just happen to do most of my reading online. I don't follow the notion that what we read online by default has less value than what is availabl

by brandon272 12y ago

cortesoft 12y ago
I don't think the author is arguing that that books are more accurate or more credible than other forms of writing. What the author is arguing is that books provide a different sort of experience than those other forms of writing.
zanny 12y ago
Or more particularly how the online stuff can surpass the dead tree stuff. I have no desire to go to a bookstore and read "acclaimed authors" works, because once you dig enough you find the sites and the communities of authors that are constantly producing fantastic longform fiction for any genre out of passion. I am also finding (and now backing) a lot of them on things like patreon too. Its a new medium. Its awkward to talk to some clients I have who do read the old way - because they will never hear of the authors I read, because I read hundreds of "amateur" authors who produce millions of words a year. And of course, online literature is 95% swill and 5% silver lining. It means you do get hit with a lot of underwhelming crap. But you still have the same thing predominantly happen in normal bookstores - maybe the ratio is better, but you still have to find your authors and interests all the same. And something about clicking through pages of writing online seems to beat pouring over isles of heavy tomes seeking satisfaction.