Hi Ron,
I have been following (somewhat) your thread on real books vs electronic
media and thought I'd add my two cents worth. :)
RRM>2. Electronic media has some advantages over printed media
  >   in that there is potential for 3-d video, sound, etc.
For capturing interest, and widening a research base, electronic media
would have its advantages. If you live in a small town for example, you
will not access to the resources that someone has who comes from the
city. For instance, I live in Metropolitan Toronto. If I want to I can
go to at least half a dozen campus libraries as well as the
Public Reference Library downtown. Now, most of these libraries are
hooked up to electronic media. So, I can access their systems through
my modem. I have never done this but my daughter does it all the time
when she is looking for sources for research. (She is finishing her
final year of University and works as a research assistant to a
Psychology professor).
RM>3. A book in your hand differs little from a book printed on
  >   a computer monitor; if you have to read it and "turn the
  >   page", then it's a book.
That's true.
RM>4. The potential of online education, while there, is not
  >   too likely to be realized unless there is a way to make
  >   a profit.  Incorporating all the neat things available
  >   online is time-consuming and costly; it isn't going to
  >   happen without the promise of financial reward.
I think most books or libraries will go on CD Rom at least. Time will
tell if online books can be profitable - I'm sure someone will find a
way to make it so.
RM>One, or both of us, have lost track of the original point,
  >which I THOUGHT was the obsolescence of books due to the
  >emergence of intercomputer connectivity?  I'm not arguing
  >the use of connectivity as a learning tool; I'm arguing
  >the continued viability of the book as a learning tool...
There is one problem of using electronic media to read. Unless you have
a laptop/notebook your computer is not portable. I for one did a lot of
my studying on the bus, etc. Also online often costs - or are you
talking of downloading the book? Even so the former argument applies. I
do a lot of "reading" on my computer - my mail  but I'm not about
to curl up with it. I can print out a letter and peruse it later but a
book is a little different.
Electronic media, in the future, may take up a big corner of the
learning market - re: texts but as far as replacing books is concerned I
don't think it will happen. (Not in general at least) I for one like to
slip a paperback into my purse and keep a novel by my bed. Curling up
with a good book is a far cry to sitting at ones desk reading from a
monitor. Which would you prefer? I'll take the cozy chair, comfy bed
or corner anytime. :)
Thanks for listening,
Ruth
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 þ QMPro 1.53 þ Artificial Intelligence: The other guy's opinion.
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