Google Books

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MonkeyNews

MonkeyNews

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http://books.google.com/

Checked this out last night and I am amazed at how many books they have available for free. You can download a large selection books of all genres on PDF and EPUB format for free, and an even larger range for a cost. I am impressed with this site and have downloaded 'Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte' and 'Hamlet' for free and which ill be reading over the coming month, anyone else used this and if so what did you download for free or for cost?

Also what are peoples thoughts on google books, does this mean the beginning of the end for book stores, or will this encourage and entice generations of all ages back into the world of books and get them down supporting their local libraries and bookstores?

Google Books in the long run a good or bad thing?
 
It won't be the end because reading books on a computer screen is just not satisfying. I haven't tried e-readers but at the moment they don't provide a function worth their price.
 
Shamikebab said:
It won't be the end because reading books on a computer screen is just not satisfying. I haven't tried e-readers but at the moment they don't provide a function worth their price.
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Totally agree with reading off PC screens, just doesnt feel right and isnt relaxing at all. But you could always print off the PDF in booklet format on a photocopier, that way you wouldn't have to read it on the PC and have it in a hard copy.
 
MikeHunt79 said:
surely by the time you've printed it off at cost, it would have been cheaper to buy the book?
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Very true, particularly when you consider second hand shops where books can be bought at a signifigant saving, this is where i pickup a lot of the books i buy.
 
MikeHunt79 said:
surely by the time you've printed it off at cost, it would have been cheaper to buy the book?
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That maybe true if you are as you say printing it off at cost, unless you are printing it off at work where you can do so for free.

So if the bad points for google books is that you have to read it on a PC or on a mobile with the related software, or after you have printed it off it has cost you more than if you had just bought the book out right. Is there any plus points that we can get from google books or is it a complete waste of time and eventually money?
 
Fishfingers said:
That maybe true if you are as you say printing it off at cost, unless you are printing it off at work where you can do so for free.

So if the bad points for google books is that you have to read it on a PC or on a mobile with the related software, or after you have printed it off it has cost you more than if you had just bought the book out right. Is there any plus points that we can get from google books or is it a complete waste of time and eventually money?
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Well you have to remember this is an ongoing project. Just because it isn't perfect now doesn't mean it won't improve. eBook readers will improve in size and quality and so will screen technology and then eventually you'll have a huge range of books to download and read on a very nice eBook reader/Tablet PC.
 
It's just not something that i fancy tbh. I dont mind having all my music as mp3, ripping all my movies to hard drive, direct download of all my games but books, nah.

It may be because I have a rather large book collection that I am proud of but I just think a printed book is much better.
 
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