Gould Timothy: Sample Essay for Evaluation (Essay Sample)

THE FUTURE OF THE PRINTED BOOKS IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Gould Timothy
Sample Essay for Evaluation
December 18, 2013
Characterized by modernization of data discretion, emergence of efficient electronic devices and increased aptitude in data storage and transfer, the rise of the digital age has been one of the greatest innovations of the twentieth and the twenty first centuries. Considerably, it has emerged as the first greatest threats to the existence of printed books. For the first time in history, electronic copies of all versions of printed books can be available online. An additional fact is that these digital versions of books come loaded with beneficial navigational features. Such features can allow customized reading and aid readers in accessing information easily. Considering these existent advantages, the question as to whether printed books will survive in the digital age is quite imminent.
Although digital presentations are endowed with numerous advantages over printed books, a number of issues still support the survival of printed books. Even in the digital era, such features still remain advantageous to readers and make printed books their preference. The first of these is the element that a printed book is a single tasking device. When reading a printed book, the only task performed is the actual reading of the book. It does not distract its reader in any way. Contrarily, the technology used in the development of digital books offers a variety of distractions. When reading online, such distractions may include pop-up windows, advertisements, and slow loading of page contents due to slow internet connection. Such do not occur when reading printed books. Particularly, the devices used to read digital books can perform several functions such as gaming, browsing, listening to music, or chatting. All these may distract the reader. In cases of iPhones, readers may be distracted by calls or beeps.[. Liu, Ziming. Paper to Digital: Documents in the Information Age (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2008), 63.] [. Ibid., 64-66.]
Another reason printed books may stay longer in the market is the sense of ownership attached to their purchase and acquisition. When one buys a printed book, they acquire the right of ownership and define the way to use the book. To an extent, individuals personalize printed books they have bought. When reading, one can highlight important texts, famous quotations, or new vocabulary within the book for easy subsequent identification. On the contrary, ownership in the case of digital books is virtual and revocable. The owner cannot inscribe on the book even though there is a place for note-taking. Again, some of such features sometimes disappear once the book is transferred to a different device. Cogitatively, printed books still bear a number of pleasant features.[. Howard, Nicole. The Book: The Life Story of a Technology (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2005), 139.]
Many opinions may argue that digital books are cheaper, yet the greatest concern individuals have when buying books is to access the information in them. To this extent, printed books avail a cheap and easy option of buying u...