Books vs Computers

[Guest Lottie]

Very easy. Books vs Computers - What is the future for them?

This is a 1v1 formal debate.

Edited April 12, 2006 by Lottie

[Immortal Norway]

I want to debate for computers.

[Guest Lottie]

Okay

Norwegian Phoenix will be debating on the side of computers.

Looking for one person to debate on the side of books.

Edited April 12, 2006 by Lottie

[justcallmefox]

I'll debate for books.

[Guest Lottie]

Fab!

Welcome onboard.

Good luck both of you and have fun!

This is a 1v1 formal debate.

Norwegian Phoenix will be debating on the side of computers.

Justcallmefox will be debating on the side of books.

This is a formal 1v1 debate.

An Introduction, 4 bodily posts and a conclusion from each participant. No Flaming, bad manners or profantities will be tolerated. Please make sure you quote ALL your sources!

Please be aware that:

There is a point deduction for debaters who fail to make a post within the 7 day time frame. The deductions will be 2 points for every day the participant fails to post after the 7 days.

This is to ensure that debates continue in a timely fashion. If for any reason you cannot post within the 7 days, please ensure that you let myself , Tiddlyjen or AztecInca know to avoid having the points taken off your debate.

If, however the participant does not then attempt to make a post for up to 2 weeks after the 7 day rule has started an immediate disqualification will occur.

Edited April 12, 2006 by Lottie

[Immortal Norway]

First of all, good luck, justcallmefox.

Introduction

Technologie that for only ten years ago seamed impossible is now an important part of the modern community. Comptuers are getting more and more advanced and it has now been built computers with 1000 gigabyte (one terabyte). And who nows, soon we proboly will build computers with tons of petabytes, exabytes, zettabytes and so on...

An earlier problem with computers was their size and prize, they was to large and to expensive, but as time has gone they have shrinked both in size an prize. In the future we will proboly have computers with tons of terabytes, so small that you can put it in your pocket, which only cost you 5 dollars.

Computers are not only more practical than books. Just think of all the trees that will be saved. In this debate I will debate for that computers are the future and that computers will be an important part of the in future community.

[justcallmefox]

And good luck to you as well, Phoenix.

Introduction

Technology has come far in recent years. Not only have computers come into common use, but now they are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. While some people marvel over the progress society is making, some of us can't help but wonder if newer is always better.

Computers and the Internet, both with their own great storage capacities, are threatning to "endanger" books and the written/printed word.

For hundreds of years, people have sat down, read, and have been enlightened by what they found in the pages of that book. Not only are books more convienent size-wise, but they're also less trouble to worry about. If you go into your local library today, all you need to do is pick out a book, check it out, and find a comfy place to read it.

Not so with a computer. With a computer, you need to either have a laptop or a Palm Pilot to begin with, not to mention their assorted carrying cases and cables. And there's no guarantee of being able to use it once you have the necessary things. You would then need to find Internet "hot-spot" (i.e. Barnes & Noble or Starbucks) with a plug-in for your electronic "friend".

All this trouble is really unnecessary when you're only trying to connect to the Internet so you can read the lastest John Grisham book. I'll agree that the Internet can be helpful for most quick information jobs (i.e. What is the price of Microsoft's stock?), but not even all of those are easily accessed via the 'Net. Many users find that when they enter a simple query into a search engine (e.g. Can dogs breathe underwater?) they come up with 121,432,68 sites that have everything but what they were looking for. With a book, all you would need to do for that particular question is to go to the section of the library that has information on animals and look up the answer to your question. Perhaps it's not

easier than going to a million different search engines, but it's definitely less frustrating. Have you ever been unable to find something on Google, so you go to Ask.com, who doesn't have it either, and then, out of desperation, go to Yahoo!, hoping against hope that they have it, only to find, (surpise, surprise) that they don't have your needed info either?

To summarize, the Internet may be easier to access (if you're at home, that is), but sometimes it's either a bother to go to, or more frustrating than simply finding out the answer in a book.

Your turn, Phoenix.

Edited April 13, 2006 by justcallmefox

[Immortal Norway]

Body Post 1

For hundreds of years, people have sat down, read, and have been enlightened by what they found in the pages of that book.

Yes, I agree with you that books are an important part of our history and our culture, and that it always will be. But thats proboly will be all it can be used to in the future.

A negative thing with books is (as mentioned in my introtoduction) that books are maked of paper wich is maked of trees. As you may now, large areas of the amazon-rainforest is gone because of this. Even that books aren`t the largest reason that many forests are choped down I still think that you will find books enough to a small forest in your closest library.

What I try to say here isn`t that books will be totaly gone in the future, but that books probobly will only be found in museums and things like that.

Not only are books more convienent size-wise, but they're also less trouble to worry about. If you go into your local library today, all you need to do is pick out a book, check it out, and find a comfy place to read it.

Can`t say anything against that.

Not so with a computer. With a computer, you need to either have a laptop or a Palm Pilot to begin with, not to mention their assorted carrying cases and cables. And there's no guarantee of being able to use it once you have the necessary things. You would then need to find Internet "hot-spot" (i.e. Barnes & Noble or Starbucks) with a plug-in for your electronic "friend".

This is one of the reasons that computers aren`t dominating now and also one of the reasons that this debate is necesary.

Yes, this is a problem, but computermakers are curently working on solving these problems. I`m not shure of how long time it takes, but it should happen within the next years.

Many users find that when they enter a simple query into a search engine (e.g. Can dogs breathe underwater?) they come up with 121,432,68 sites that have everything but what they were looking for.

Actualy it`s 1.550.000 on google and 185.000 on yahoo... Anyway, I agree it`s difficult finding this answear on a computer, but also remember that atleast the computers have a searchengine that you can use to find what you are looking for.

In a library you off course can just ask the librarian to find the book, but if you are looking for any thing specific in the book, sometimes it may would be hard to find.

For instence: The librarian found The Bible to you. You are trying to find the history about David and Goliat (if that is their names in English). You know the history is in The Old Testament, but thats everything you know. How long time do you use to find what you are looking for ? It took me five minutes.

With an online Bible or something, you just press Edit, then press search, write Goliat and simply press enter. If the first search was wrong, simply press enter again intill you find what you are looking for.

To summarize: I agree that compuers may are more frustrasing than books, but they are also harder to destroy, better against the enviroment and one computer can also store thousands of books.

And books are (and will be) a part of our culture, not our community.

Your turn, iwilljustcallyoufox

Edited April 14, 2006 by Norwegian Phoenix

[justcallmefox]

A negative thing with books is (as mentioned in my introtoduction) that books are maked of paper wich is maked of trees. As you may now, large areas of the amazon-rainforest is gone because of this. Even that books aren`t the largest reason that many forests are choped down I still think that you will find books enough to a small forest in your closest library.

You're right- books AREN'T the reason for many trees being chopped down. Recycling is starting to be used more and more often. I wouldn't be surprised if most books today are printed on recycled paper. I'd think that as time goes on, more publishers will be using recycled paper to print their books on. And I'll concede that most computers these days have the Energy Star seal that conserves energy when you're not using the computer.

In a library you off course can just ask the librarian to find the book, but if you are looking for any thing specific in the book, sometimes it may would be hard to find.

Not to go over onto your side of the argument, but libraries actually have their systems on computer now. To find a book, you type in what you're looking for, and the results will pop up. So in that case, you're using a computer to find a book.

With an online Bible or something, you just press Edit, then press search, write Goliat and simply press enter. If the first search was wrong, simply press enter again intill you find what you are looking for.

And like I just said, when you go into the library and get on their system, you would type in Goliath, and it would direct you to the proper book(s).

also harder to destroy, better against the enviroment and one computer can also store thousands of books.

Harder to destroy? I'll grant you that it doesn't take much to destroy a book (Cigarette lighter, cup of water), but have you ever had a bug (or two) on your computer? While books may be easier to destroy, you don't have to worry about someone hacking into them and stealing all the data contained in there. (unless you have some bored kid with a pen, but with a reference book that's quite unlikely) You also don't have to worry about the speed of the book. With the Internet, you can be affected by the age of the computer, the speed of the Internet connection, etc. etc. and so forth.

And while one computer can store thousands of books, who really wants to curl up in front of the computer to read a romance novel? There's just something about taking a book wherever you want, whenever you want. For example, say you have a power outage (which may be rare or common, depending on where you live). If you're so fortunate as to have a UPS (back up machine which allows you 5 minutes to shut off your computer so that you don't lose data) when you're copying important information, you'll be able to save it before you shut off the computer. If not, well, then, I hope you have plenty of time once the computer gets power back to REwrite whatever you were working on and find the information AGAIN. Not so with a book. If the power goes out while reading, aw shucks, you'll have to look for a candle or a flashlight. But you won't lose what you were working on, and the source of your information is still right in front of you.

In short- While books are printed on paper, they are being printed more and more on RECYCLED paper, and are not prone to the same viruses, memory problems, processor speed, and power loss that computers are.

[AztecInca]

Norwegian Phoenix the 7-day time limit for you to post has nearly passed, please post your reply soon otherwise point deductions will have to be made.

If you are unable to do so please let either myself or jen know via a pm.

Regards, Aztec!

[Immortal Norway]

Sorry that this took so much time, but I have been on a schooltrip the last couple of days, and came back yesterday. And it was pretty nice there, even without compueters, still... noone in my class missed books... anyway...

Body Post 2

Not to go over onto your side of the argument, but libraries actually have their systems on computer now. To find a book, you type in what you're looking for, and the results will pop up. So in that case, you're using a computer to find a book.

Yes, so without computers, books would have been a lot more difficult to find.

but have you ever had a bug (or two) on your computer?

No infact I have never had a bug on my computer, firewalls protects against most of the bugs, but I agree that it is enoying and just so *** frustrating.

You also don't have to worry about the speed of the book.

Can`t say anything aginst that... unless one of the books fall out of it`s place and the one beside it does the same and then the prosses accelerate into all the books in the library lies on the floor.

An other good thing with computers is that a computer have tons of functions, how many functions do a book have ? The answear is five: You can off course read it, you can write in it, you can switch from page to page, you can set a bookmark in it and you can DESTROY it.

But how many functions do a computer have ?... Well: You can read on it, you can play games on it, you can watch TV on it, you can find out the weather on it, you can communicate with people long away on it (like I`m doing now, and remember that without computers we wouldn`t have this debate at all), you can listen to muisic on it, you can download music to a MP3-Player, and I could have countinued, but if I had listened all the functions a computer have, then I wouldn`t be finished before christmas.

Also when I`m already talking about functions, do you know how most books are written ? Well... they are written on computers ! The reason is that if you write with pen and paper, and then do something wrong, you have eighter to start all over again or try to find a bug that eats inc (I think they have something like that in Russia). But, with a computer you simply press backspace or enter.

You can off course also use a writingmachine (or whatever it`s name is in English), but that`s not far away from a computer... is it ?

For example, say you have a power outage (which may be rare or common, depending on where you live).

Were I live there nearly never is a power outage anywere between January and November, but still I have never had a christmas eve without a power outage.

If you're so fortunate as to have a UPS (back up machine which allows you 5 minutes to shut off your computer so that you don't lose data) when you're copying important information, you'll be able to save it before you shut off the computer. If not, well, then, I hope you have plenty of time once the computer gets power back to REwrite whatever you were working on and find the information AGAIN.

Yes it is happening, but have you ever have heard about saving a document ? But, still this is ennoying, but computers all the time gets more advanced and protected against this and the power outages becomes more and more uncommon.

To summarize: Even that technologie maybe is more ennoying it also is your friend.

[AztecInca]

justcallmefox has asked for and been given an extension until Monday to post.

[justcallmefox]

Thank you for the extension, debate moderators.

I continue.

An other good thing with computers is that a computer have tons of functions, how many functions do a book have ? The answear is five: You can off course read it, you can write in it, you can switch from page to page, you can set a bookmark in it and you can DESTROY it.

But how many functions do a computer have ?... Well: You can read on it, you can play games on it, you can watch TV on it, you can find out the weather on it, you can communicate with people long away on it (like I`m doing now, and remember that without computers we wouldn`t have this debate at all), you can listen to muisic on it, you can download music to a MP3-Player, and I could have countinued, but if I had listened all the functions a computer have, then I wouldn`t be finished before christmas

Yes, but when it comes to just READING, a book is much easier. Granted you can read on a computer, but think about it- how many books are out there on the Internet or are available to buy as software? If you wanted to read the latest book by a certain author, sure you can ORDER it from your computer, but you can't actually download it for a fee or read it simply as it is. I'll grant you that there are sites like Project Gutenberg where you can read the whole book on the Internet, but those are only books whose copyrights have expired. While that's all well and good for people interested in older books, what about what I mentioned earlier, the latest and/or newer books whose copyrights haven't expired are property of the author. How many authors out there are willing to put up their books on the Internet? They would run the risk of "free" products, similar to what the music industry is going through right now with file sharing and illegal downloads. While the amount of effort put into the works of both musicians and authors is about equal, I can understand why they wouldn't want months of hard, serious effort to go down the tubes when someone decides to post it for others to get for free. I could see serious copyright infringement going on if books were to be posted on the Internet.

Also when I`m already talking about functions, do you know how most books are written ? Well... they are written on computers ! The reason is that if you write with pen and paper, and then do something wrong, you have eighter to start all over again or try to find a bug that eats inc (I think they have something like that in Russia). But, with a computer you simply press backspace or enter.

You can off course also use a writingmachine (or whatever it`s name is in English), but that`s not far away from a computer... is it ?

True, but I do believe most people who start a work out form some kind of brainstorm or outline on...you guessed it...paper. I myself try to come up with some kind of an idea BEFORE I go to my computer. There's nothing more annoying than sitting at your computer and not being able to think of anything. (That's annoying, period, but most annoying at a comp.) And if you do get "writer's block" at a computer, there are all those other "convienences" (sp.) you mentioned to distract you from what you originally set out to do.

Summary: The Internet, although vast in its resources, would not be a good place for works with copyright, and while computers may have more utilities on them, sometimes the simpler way is better.

Your turn, Phoenix.

[Immortal Norway]

Body Post 3

Yesterday, I saw a program about seeing into the future, on that program a man said that in 50 years computers would look like high-technological youghurth, he also said that in the future you could just download yourself into a computer and then you would live forever... scary...

Computer futurists are working towards getting computers off of the desktop and onto the road. Computers will begin to be everywhere, and at the same time less visible. This trend has already begun. Look around were you are sitting. Most of the objects probably having a computer chip inside. Clocks, watches, radios, phones, refrigirators, heaters, televisions, and even some pens all have more computing power in them then the first Apollo mission to the moon. Most of these devices have been remarkably simplified through the use of technology. 

Source

As you ounderstand there are computers everywere, the computers are here to stay and not only to stay, but also to evolve. If the computers suddenly dissepeared the world as we know it would go under, longway-communication like I`m doing right know couldn`t be possible and the worlds economic would go under. But if all books suddenly disepeared, we off course would lose an important part of our humianity, but the world as we now it wouldn`t go under.

Yes, but when it comes to just READING, a book is much easier. Granted you can read on a computer, but think about it- how many books are out there on the Internet or are available to buy as software? If you wanted to read the latest book by a certain author, sure you can ORDER it from your computer, but you can't actually download it for a fee or read it simply as it is.

No you can`t, but it would have been fun if you could download a book to your MP3-Player.

How many authors out there are willing to put up their books on the Internet? They would run the risk of "free" products, similar to what the music industry is going through right now with file sharing and illegal downloads. While the amount of effort put into the works of both musicians and authors is about equal, I can understand why they wouldn't want months of hard, serious effort to go down the tubes when someone decides to post it for others to get for free. I could see serious copyright infringement going on if books were to be posted on the Internet.

Yes, modern computers can`t be a replacement of books... what we need is some sort of electronical book... anyway, yes books are better "when it comes to Reading", and why should`t they ?, thats what they are made for. But, if you think about how popular books are for the new generation (the children), after all they (we) are the future. I think that if you ask 100 random 12-13 year olds about if they prefer books or computers, most of them would answear computers. The reason is that litterature as we know it, isn`t nescesary when you have TV-shows and computer-games as replacements. Litterature as we know it isn`t any longer entertainment, it`s culture. And it`s right place to be is in museum, not in our hands.

We don`t need factsbooks eighter, we have online sites as Wikipedia to do that job.

True, but I do believe most people who start a work out form some kind of brainstorm or outline on...you guessed it...paper. I myself try to come up with some kind of an idea BEFORE I go to my computer. There's nothing more annoying than sitting at your computer and not being able to think of anything.

I wish I could come up with some sort of argument against that, but I can`t. If you realy have to use paper to brainstorm, and in that way write neraly everything twice, fine for me.

To summarize: While computers right place to be is everywere, the next stop for books is museums.

Your turn, Fox.

[AztecInca]

justcallmefox the 7-day time limit has passed, please either post or pm myself or tiddlyjen within the next 24 hours otherwise point deductions will have to occur.

Edited May 14, 2006 by AztecInca