Reading
July 22nd 2007 13:14
I read in the Guardian yesterday that someone had used a digital camera to photograph all 600 pages of the latest Harry Potter in order to put it on the Net. What were they thinking of? Quite apart from the risk of being caught and convicted of a crime – theft, I imagine – who did they imagine would want to read a 600 page book on their computer? Or print out the 600 pages? It would be cheaper to wait another day and buy the book.
I’ve had a copy of Harry Potter since
yesterday, and I’m a pretty quick reader, but even I have had to take frequent breaks. Holding the book up while sitting, or leaning over reading it at a table – neither of these, or any other ways of sitting reading, are comfortable over a long stretch. Reading a book off the computer would drive me crazy.
I can’t read anything substantial on the computer. Even with relatively short articles I tend to skim a lot, something I don’t do anywhere near as much with books.
I’ve yet to meet anyone who feels comfortable reading for any length of time at a computer. The angles just don’t seem right. Staring straight ahead of you while reading means you have to sit up straight, or else eventually you get into a slouch position and your back starts to ache. Your neck is at an uncomfortable angle. To me it’s the equivalent of the posture hundreds of students in Guinea have to adopt when studying. (Pardon me if it wasn’t Guinea; I got the information secondhand when looking at the picture.)
In the picture I saw of these students they’re sitting at the airport studying because that’s one of the few places where the electricity is on continually. I admire their stamina and determination. It’s great. But the posture they have to adopt is one of sitting up straight because the seats (whatever sort they are) have no backs. The books and materials are on their lap, meaning they have to lean over to read. These people are doing it because it’s their best choice. If you give me the choice between reading at a computer and reading the old-fashioned way, from a book, give me the latter anytime.
The great picture comes from a blog called The Ergonomenon - where human meets machine.
I’ve had a copy of Harry Potter since
I can’t read anything substantial on the computer. Even with relatively short articles I tend to skim a lot, something I don’t do anywhere near as much with books.
I’ve yet to meet anyone who feels comfortable reading for any length of time at a computer. The angles just don’t seem right. Staring straight ahead of you while reading means you have to sit up straight, or else eventually you get into a slouch position and your back starts to ache. Your neck is at an uncomfortable angle. To me it’s the equivalent of the posture hundreds of students in Guinea have to adopt when studying. (Pardon me if it wasn’t Guinea; I got the information secondhand when looking at the picture.)
In the picture I saw of these students they’re sitting at the airport studying because that’s one of the few places where the electricity is on continually. I admire their stamina and determination. It’s great. But the posture they have to adopt is one of sitting up straight because the seats (whatever sort they are) have no backs. The books and materials are on their lap, meaning they have to lean over to read. These people are doing it because it’s their best choice. If you give me the choice between reading at a computer and reading the old-fashioned way, from a book, give me the latter anytime.
The great picture comes from a blog called The Ergonomenon - where human meets machine.
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