Adonis Diaries

Paper printed books are to stay; (May 11, 2010)

            The biggest headache for librarians and institutions that are investing on long-lasting memory supports for archives has not found a cure and resolutions were of short-term. Archiving books, films, sound recorded materials in modern supports turned out to be of bigger headaches than anticipated that absorbed billions of dollars at no avail.  Every few years, new technologies supplanted previous memory supports and hardware became obsolete. 

For example, magnetic cassettes, CD-Rom, and DVD are already outdated simply because the computer hardware and software are no longer available to visualize them.  There are stories of professional people owning dozens of older generation computers just to be able to see their older productions.  Soon, there would be no spare parts when an older computer version breaks down.  Then, what’s the use of all the productions if they are not saved on printed papers?

            We know that printed materials were scarce even in the 18^th century:  Only rich people could afford to buy books.  Can we express our thoughts if we cannot read and write?  Even if computer manages to transcribe in real-time what we are saying or verbally recording I think that our rational thinking process will be degraded if the material is not personally handwritten, personally recorded, or typed. 

Priests of the various religions had the monopoly of reading and writing for thousands of years in all ancient civilizations.  If the ability to read and write was the main source of power then what valuable knowledge could the priesthoods denied non-reading mankind for so long?   

            Books are the most accommodating memory support; you can use them in isolated locations and they are sources of pleasurable distraction.  Book permits an individual the freedom to discovering his own potentials separate from the community assemblies.  Mankind is able to vanquish individual confidence to reclaiming his human rights by reading alone and at any time he wishes.

            If I manage to save money then my first assignment would be to hard-copy all my files and articles saved on wordpress.com.  Then, I would gather my 1,600 articles, novels, and autobiography in books.  This mission can safeguard my production for much longer time than digital and electronic medium supports.  Obviously, risks of fire and misplacement of written materials are common occurrences but digital memories have higher kinds of danger to vanish due to viruses, electrical shortages, and obsolete hardware and software supports.

Papers kinds inventions might become more durable and thinner; ink kinds more resisting to time but the book forms are to stay.  Decorating new apartments and homes with book shelves libraries are agreeable concepts; carrying a book is reassuring. 

A study by Columbia Journalism Review (NY, 2010) has shown that 51% of Internet original content is not read at all; that paper dailies contents are read much more seriously and rigorously than Internet recycled articles.  Over 80% of internet readership does not consider the contents reliable or susceptible to correction policies.  The most current reason for Internet recycled publishing stuff is basically for acquiring higher shares of advertizing funds allocated by companies and institutions. 

I am addicted to reading in book forms and I demand printed books to stay.