Books - a serious question

[Fastbrit]

Something that's been on my mind for some time. The new Cal Look book notwithstanding, how do people REALLY feel about books about the past, when they take a lot of time and effort to produce, costs a small fortune to print etc etc and yet all the same info can (and does) get posted on the Internet for free. Is the day of the book over? I ask this because I, along with an 'investor' have talked about another book or three on our favourite subject, but it would be disappointing to spend a year gathering photos to scan etc when you so often get to see the same pics appear out of nowhere on the various forums.

If the day of the book is over, then that's fine, but I am genuinely interested in what you guys think. After all, some of the material in the new book will inevitably already have been seen or published on the 'Net. What do you think?

[beetletom]

i like books, you can keep them and look at them where ever you want

[speedwell]

Already seen or not, for me thatwill stay a book which starts again quite it's story of past and it will always be to carry of hand whereas on the net it is not still evident to  found them
And then I prefer to have a well written book and photos of which are good qualities that some on the net and then of a quite way we know the author, thus we know in what expect  

[Lids]

I like books, its nice to have.

[Wünderwolff]

The net is so volatile and worthless when compared to books. It is good to get your need for info satisfied for just long enough to get you through a day.

But books are forever and have a touch and feel to them that is un-reproducable by any means. I can just imagine the smell of fresh ink. And then the look of a neat filled to the brim with car-lit library...

And don't you always put freshly bought books next to your pillow to have a look at them first thing in the morning. I still do.

Keep on printing !!

[JS]

I still buy and read books. It´s a completely different way of getting information and relaxing at the same time.
I think books will be around for a pretty long time still.
I´m more worried about the future of bookstores than the books themselves with amazon.com and all.

[nicolas]

hmm at first thought i would say the book is the best option. but not completely...

a book has my vote no question, but it has it's drawbacks as well. it is a great reference and should indeed last a lot longer then a post on the net. but that is were things get a bit tricky. in the years before internet and eager persons to post all kinds off pics on the net a writer could work in an incognito way and collect, adapt, change, correct the writing and pictures over the period off a few years. now that is somewhat different. i take your book as an example. you have been writing it in a few months (not counting the planning beforehand) and collecting pics on a period off a few months as well. we all know that you have been getting a few teasers of a few pics that have never been seen before, but if you waited a few years more to bring out the book, those pics could have found their way to the net as well. so that puts pressure on the writer to keep things a 'secret' and finish it in time.
now there is another problem, as there are more chances the info that is accuired can be found to be only one part off the story and not give the whole vieuw off the story. so  by this i want to say a book will always be a point off vieuw off something here and now. and on the net a point off vieuw can change, a lot off people have acces and an opinion to share (not neccesarily facts) but an idea has a longer and quicker time to mature.

but in short lids was right.

I like books, its nice to have.

i also like books to grab off the shelf and flip through them from time to time, rather than look at the pics on the net or computer.

[Rennsurfer]

I must be old fashioned in my thinking... because I still enjoy buying/reading books. Not only after I buy 'em, but even after much time goes by... I still like taking 'em off of the shelf and reading them and/or showing friends. I built shelves in my hallway just for that purpose.

Books are great and I hope they never fall prey to the 'Net. As much as I like the 'Net (been online since 1994), I also don't like what it's done to many of the cool things in our lives. Books being one of many. You can pick up a book and appreciate it at any point and time. Whereas a computer can crash, servers go down, etc. A book is faithful and always waiting for you. Same concept applies to surfboards & skateboards, but another topic all together.

Please keeps books around.

[DeanoVW]

I hope the book never dies out. The net is great for seeing things 'first', but for having something tangible, forever, you cant beat a quality book.
 

[Harry/FDK]

A book keeps you hooked at the story/pics, the net keeps you jumping to links all the time because it's so easy to post them by the (net)writer.
A book can make you forget about the stressfull world around you.

[Sarge]

I still like a book the best.  The story and pics are always there for you when you want to see them... no rooting through the internet trying to remember where you saw or read about it.  For you, Keith I feel if you wrote 25 more books we'd all buy every one of them because we want to hear your spin on what we're looking at.

[Rune]

I don't think books are a thing of the past just yet. It's cool to see pics on the net, but I prefer a book that tells the story also

[j-f]

I love read.

I'm always in search of info about lot's of things. Internet is a good way to find some good stuff. And now, with blogs and forums you can find good info and have some good talks with people from all over the world. Take this forum as example. Host by Scandinavian people and with a community from USA to Asia!
With the internet, you also don't have to wait, make some searchs and you will find what you need. Internet is a good support.

But, read a book is something different. People that make books take time to write it, find the right info from the right people. Make interviews, go take their own pictures, spend time to find archives etc. So, it's a far more better info, more realistic and reliable, well written by people that love make nice text. And this info will last for a long time.
For example, even if it possible to find all the tech info I need to work on my VW on the Internet, I have several books that treat of VW tech. Workshop books, Haynes, Bob tomlinson weber book, How to Hot rod you VW engine, The complete idiot vw book etc etc... And I use it a lot. I cut my VW workshop book to put it in plastic files because I think it is the best tools you can have in your workshop.
And the pleasure of choose a book, make yourself comfortably in your favorite armchair and take time to enjoy it. What else? You can't beat the feeling of the paper with Ebook...

And if you take time to compare what you find on internet and books you read on the same subject, you will find that sometimes it's just copy paste. People read books, and then put their own version on the net.

I don't think that books will disappear. Maybe the daily press will have some concurrencies with hot news.

[ian c]

i like books .
i read lots of books .
ussually 2 a week .

didnt they once say television would kill off books ??

[louisb]

I like books. But I would like to see some more technical books aimed at the VW to be published.

--louis

[iowa mark]

Although I grew up with books and the joy of reading about anything the library had to offer, the world is moving away from the written word and has been redusing it's impact by using letters in place of whole people, places and things. Texting is a prime example of the language, or lack of it we are accepting in our lives. Instant comunications by cell phone is in place now. Hand held internet access is sweeping the world. TV and movies are available at any time, and in any location. Why would someone regress to a chair and a light to concentrate on a collection of words that needs one's own imagination to help make the story real. There will always be a place for books as collectors items. But unless things change drastically, we will be doomed to a world of McDonalds as story tellers injecting ideas directly into our implanted chips. Farenhiet 451 without the fire. Of course, this is written by some antique that drives a car without air bags, fuel injection, on-star, or even heated seats. (morning after taco night is not counted)

[Dave Rosique]

Books are good!
I think the computer is more likely to affect the newspaper industry.

Besides, a computer would look silly in the bathroom.

~DR.

[Lee.C]

I still buy and read books. It´s a completely different way of getting information and relaxing at the same time.
I think books will be around for a pretty long time still.
I´m more worried about the future of bookstores than the books themselves with amazon.com and all.

That pretty much sums it up for me too 

[Jim Ratto]

Something that's been on my mind for some time. The new Cal Look book notwithstanding, how do people REALLY feel about books about the past, when they take a lot of time and effort to produce, costs a small fortune to print etc etc and yet all the same info can (and does) get posted on the Internet for free. Is the day of the book over? I ask this because I, along with an 'investor' have talked about another book or three on our favourite subject, but it would be disappointing to spend a year gathering photos to scan etc when you so often get to see the same pics appear out of nowhere on the various forums.

If the day of the book is over, then that's fine, but I am genuinely interested in what you guys think. After all, some of the material in the new book will inevitably already have been seen or published on the 'Net. What do you think?

Pictures on the internet I hope will never replace a good quality, entertaining, well-written and accurate book.

[Gunnar|Rennfahrer]

I still like a book the best.  The story and pics are always there for you when you want to see them... no rooting through the internet trying to remember where you saw or read about it.  For you, Keith I feel if you wrote 25 more books we'd all buy every one of them because we want to hear your spin on what we're looking at.

Especially "no rooting through the internet trying to remember where you saw or read about it" 

To remember where I saw some picture in a book is easy, I can also remember which book,  when bought it and a lott of other things in the same book.

Yes, I prefer books for the good feeling and easy lookup, and internet for things "right now." And for all the things I don't have a book about.

[Sam K]

I hope that the day never comes that computers completely replace books. While it can be easier to get online and find a specific answer to a technical question, I would much rather pick up a book. I have a large collection fo books that ranges from automotive to history to fiction and I buy more all the time. I also enjoy going to used book store and garage sales looking for obscure old auto repair manuals. 

[LuftsickTero]

Besides, a computer would look silly in the bathroom.

WLAN + laptop have been working solution to that for years 

I have been online for 14 years, I am not sure that I like the way Web has developed in this decade nor how the general attitude in some forums (definetely not this one) are some dimwits trying to outsmart each other or bitching&moaning when things aren't going in their favour. Like the Internet is the channel for complaints when nothing else works. Books may present ideas or opinions you may not agree with but on the other hand I've never read a book written by an total idiot as it takes more dedication than to post few lines in forums or your own website.

Keith, I really appreciate the effort you put in your books and these have been great reading so far:



I can understand Web affecting newspapers or something short lived stuff, that looses it's substance during today or within couple of days. I believe that special topic magazines and especially books will remain. Although the internet and globalization has made us all buying same crap all over the developed world with fewer and fewer local variances I still enjoy going to bookstores on holiday to see whether there is something available that I wasn't aware of or something that is not available back home. Besides I'm sort of collector and bytes aren't collectable 

[ian c]

i've thought about it some more ......

i dont think i was thinking strait before .
allthough i was answering truthfully , i dont think i read your question correctly ??

allthough the net is cool , it cant replace the worth of a good book .
much hype has sorrounded that sony (?) contraption , and i seriously thought about one .
it may have worked out good as i'm permanently travelling , and permanently reading ....
so i experimented and read a book on the net . not the same , i'll stick to destroying the rain-forests

but i think what you where really getting at , is you giving us "exclusive" photos/stories etc.

well , youre writing about HISTORY ,
and some of people who donate stories and pictures dont use the net to post them .

in this respect , i think you're in a better position than an author writing a book on the history of volkswagen .

once the book is published however ,
if an exclusive picture from your book appears on the net does it ruin the book ??
i say no .
does it ruin your hard work ?
i guess you gotta ask yourself that , but i'd be a bit pissed !!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0760300283/ref=sib_dp_bod_ex/002-1178205-5674409?ie=UTF8&p=S008#reader-link

[El Dub]

As most of you, I think that internet will never replace books. The same goes with magazines... You usually read facts in magazines you read 1 month (or more...) before on the internet, but it's not the same interest. I like to take books & magazines from time to time and read & details pages I already read many times. I don't think I would do the same on the internet (even on my ohhhh sooooo often updated nostalgia corner  )

I think that books & internet are compliant. You read in a book (understand the Cal-Look book #2) and you discuss about pictures & facts you read in this book on the well known VW forum

Btw, keep up the good work Keith!

[Martin]

its not the same sitting on the shitter with a laptop.............

[drgouk]

Hi Keith,
           Off topic, But are you thinking about doing another engine book? I think the time has come! What do you think?

Thanks
David Gouk

[Jon]

I think that one of the best parts of the concepts of textbooks is that you read the work of ONE man! When you buy a book you know that this man has arranged the history and text in such a way that it makes sense. And he has also omitted stuff that doesn't help the history, to make it better reading.
It's also about trusting the author of the book, you know that this guy must know his stuff to even get to publish something, as opposed to reading peoples opinions on the net...

Keep writing Keith, we will keep buying!

[alex d]

Books still have their place (and so will for a long time), but I bet most of you will be buying the book in the internet!

[banditina]

Books are better!

[Lids]

Books still have their place (and so will for a long time), but I bet most of you will be buying the book in the internet!

not me, par tof the reason for buying a book is the way it looks, feels etc.  When i go into a bookstore i touch, read etc before making my mind up, can't do that in virtual world.