AIBU to much prefer buying books/CDs/DVDs

[PrettySophisticated]

to a download?

I know I am, it makes far more sense not to have to store all the books and CDs. But a book, some music or a film is such a nice present and now I have nothing to wrap!

Also, I am a little bit bothered by what happens to all this stuff in the future. No-one is ever going to find an ancient manuscript from 2016 or a diary/letters from our time. They're all on gadgets that will be broken and/or defunct.

I still enjoy leafing through a book or looking at the alphabetical CDs and handling one (although not tidying away!)

I still get traditional and digital versions. I like the convenience of my music collection on my phone, but it reduces it to a compliation. There is more ceremony to selecting an album and listening to it as the artist intended.

Physical copies are much better gifts!

I am with you on this; I don't mind downloading music so much... (although I still love proper CD's and DVDs) but I INSIST on physical books. It makes me shudder to think about the future; I LOVE antique books, they are beautiful and works of art. Can't ever see anyone calling a kindle a work of art! I loathe kindles with a passion. I love book shops - especially antique book shops!

I totally agree alfagirl. There are many reasons I don't want a Kindle, including that they won't have good bindings, won't smell like a proper book, won't look good among many others on a shelf and won't feel right in my hands.

I'm not bothered about cheap mass-market paperbacks (although I read them sometimes), but I do care about good quality books. How do beautiful illustrations work on a Kindle? What about end papers? What about good quality paper? What about dust jackets?

I too love bookshops and can (and do!) spend hours in them.

OP, it's actually quite sad that you don't have anything to wrap - or for someone else to unwrap

I insist on physical books and very much like CDs and records though I'll listen to music online too, but I buy CDs and records whenever I find them at a good price (mostly second hand, I love second hand shopping). I'm not the same with DVDs though, I'll buy the occasional one but most films I just watch from Netflix.

Oh that's the problem Middling. I haven't actually bought any presents. DS & DH are both really into reading (reading more than the actual books IYSWIM) and music, so in the olden days they were easy to buy for. Now, although they'd both like some downloads, I can't bring myself to give them "nothing"

I kind of understand with CDs and certain films but not books. I read a book every 2 days - buying them would either bankrupt me so I used to schlep to the library twice a week. Now I don't have to.

I'm also really bored of being accused of being one of those responsible for the loss of appreciation of "the new book smell".

*would bankrupt

I am a huge reader. Everyone keeps saying I should get a kindle but I just love real paper books. It's a bit impractical as I now have almost 300 books in my 2 bed flat, but I hate the idea of a kindle! I love DVDs too. Not CDs as I usually just listen to music on YouTube.

Don't get me started on the Library PNGirl. I love the Library, it's been a weekly/fortnightly ritual of mine all my life. Both my DC pulled up to standing for the first time using the wooden boxes they put the toddler books in. I know libraries have moved on and are often still busy with people using the PCs etc but the selection of books on offer in ours has gone markedly downhill since people stopped reading actual books

I go to the library all the time and get out 10-20 books, don't know where I'd be without libraries! My local one only has a small selection of books in English but about once a month or so I'll go to the city where there's a big library with lots of books in English and I'll get loads from there (I have to take one of those cabin bag suitcases when I go to the city to carry all the books!)

I love both books and my kindle. If I want a quick read, something trashy/light that I won't read again, the kindle is perfect. It's also great for travelling/holidays. But if it's something I want to keep, or something that won't work in black and white or digital format, then a book is the way forward. Both formats have their place, and can sit side-by-side happily.

I love reading never thought I'd want kindle but bought one 2 years ago cheap in US and I LOVE it. Never will buy an actual book for me again. Same with CDs live on Spotify now n dvds sure you can practically watch any film at touch of a button now. What concerns me ESP the next generation all they know is having everything 'on demand ' I mean I love it but can appreciate it I think but my kids it's all they've known. Though they so read actual books no kindles yet!

I read a lot and can't bear the thought of a kindle, although I read MN on my phone all the time! Buy books, swap books with friends, but most of all I love and use my local libraries. It's so sad that so many are closing or becoming digitalised.

Who are you buying for and what would suit them?

I think the books vs kindle (and the physical vs digital media in general) debate is very much a lifestyle/circumstances thing - as somebody who hasn't spent more than 6 months living in one place over the last couple of years if I had to pack physical copies of all of my books up into boxes and haul them down the stairs from one flat, across the country or countries, and then up a bunch of stairs into a new flat and find someplace to shelve them twice a year I'd go mad so if somebody gave me physical books I'd think they were a really poorly thought through gift.
On the other hand if the person your buying for is the type to have a physical library then I'm sure they'd love hardcopies.

I love hard copies. I like to buy something and know I have it for now and always. The trouble with digital is that it turns everything into rentals, and we end up paying through the nose for something they can turn off. And the thought occurs that content can be easily changed to fit someone else's agenda.

I used to love ICT but it has definitely turned a corner for me: we seem to be getting closer and closer to all those dystopian futures where machines or thought police take over. I'm getting old.

books much prefer my kindle as i can carry way lots more books about with me
cd's apart from the car and my old shitty desktop computer i dont actually own a cd player (altho my dvd player will play them)
dvds dont see the point as most movies i will only watch once

I love the smell of real books and the feel. I like to flick back and forth, see how much I've read and the cover is really important in choosing a book. I still like to give and receive books. Not so much with music, I'm more likely to download stuff.

YABU.
Houses full of CDs, books and DVDS are messy and dusty and cluttered.
All entertainment media must be filed away neatly on laptops and kindles.
Except maybe my annoted copies of Wuthering Heights and the Bible and illustrated books.

*annotated sorry.
I am literate, I promise, despite my lack of books adorning my flat!

Books - I'm not a big reader but as they are paper they will recycle or rot into the ground
CDs -
I prefer physical copies rather than digital download. Never really thought about the environmental impact but I guess they are recyclable.

I can't remember if the inheritance issues with digital stuff has been resolved or not but assuming nothing has changed.
With a physical copy you can sell it, pass it on, leave it to someone in your will.
With a digital copy what you are buying is a license for YOU to have and use the digital copy, you can't resell it, can't donate it or leave it in your will. One of the big names in the music industry was trying to get that changed as his download collection was worth thousands but effectively dies with him.