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http://www.suntimes.com/business/3852258-420/borders-closing-half-of-area-stores.html

This makes me sad, but I can't honestly say I'm surprised. I really like strolling around in a Borders store, but I confess that Amazon is were I buy all my books, thereby acknowledging myself as part of the problem. But what other problems might this influence? Is it possible that with major Book Retailers closing, more and more really good authors will find it way more difficult to get published, and people trying to author their first book simply won't stand a chance? Or is this an example of the need for change and business implementing more online business fronts?

Well, it's not the same viewing 'pictures' of a book when you're used to physically thumbing through it as you're making the choice to buy it or not. And not all books on Amazon even show page examples to give you a feel for the book. I dunno, but this doesn't feel good to me.

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I think it's a bummer, too.

I love to hang out in bookstores ... love the feel of a good book ... and thumbing through the pages.

But alas ... from a practical perspective, all the books I actually collect and and read these days come in a searchable, storable PDF or DjVu format.  I can carry a whole library around with me on my laptop.

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Originally Posted by Scott Terry:
I think it's a bummer, too.

I love to hang out in bookstores ... love the feel of a good book ... and thumbing through the pages.

But alas ... from a practical perspective, all the books I actually collect and and read these days come in a searchable, storable PDF or DjVu format.  I can carry a whole library around with me on my laptop.

Kind of an off subject question; do you favor books on Laptops over items like Amazon's Kindles?

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Originally Posted by Shawn Ishness:

Kind of an off subject question; do you favor books on Laptops over items like Amazon's Kindles?

Laptops because I have a lot of geeky professional/technical  books.  And since they're on my laptop (which is a really powerful one), I have easy access when I'm developing stuff business-wise ... it's all in one place.

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Originally Posted by Scott Terry:

Originally Posted by Shawn Ishness:

Kind of an off subject question; do you favor books on Laptops over items like Amazon's Kindles?

Laptops because I have a lot of geeky professional/technical  books.  And since they're on my laptop (which is a really powerful one), I have easy access when I'm developing stuff business-wise ... it's all in one place.

I was kinda thinking the same thing. I suppose the only difference that might influence my like of the Kindle is that I could more comfortably sit or lay up with to read than I could with a laptop.

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Originally Posted by Shawn Ishness:

Originally Posted by Scott Terry:

Originally Posted by Shawn Ishness:

Kind of an off subject question; do you favor books on Laptops over items like Amazon's Kindles?

Laptops because I have a lot of geeky professional/technical  books.  And since they're on my laptop (which is a really powerful one), I have easy access when I'm developing stuff business-wise ... it's all in one place.

I was kinda thinking the same thing. I suppose the only difference that might influence my like of the Kindle is that I could more comfortably sit or lay up with to read than I could with a laptop.

I hear ya.

But if I were going to consider a Kindle, I'd probably go with an I-Pad or similar.

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I really enjoy book stores too.  I think the only time I have been in Borders specifically is at airports though.  I'm not sure how much you can take Borders problems as the same for other physical bookstores.  It has expanded too fast in some areas including internationally, keeping unprofitable stores draining funds.  It has also in some places chosen to place stores in higher rent districts.  It does not seem to like any technology...for a long time not having any online store version and not getting in on the electronic book market until late last year.

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I love bookstores, especially the smaller, independent ones. But my house is 4 hours from a bookstore and amazon.com delivers for free. and kidnle is even easier.

adapt or die, that's what my friends keep telling me. guess the same holds true for retailers.

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I know this sounds strange but as banks begin to "free up" money ... we are going to see a lot more of our favorite stores filing Ch.11 Bankruptcy and closing unproductive stores.  Many corporations are and have been teetering on the edge.  In order to reorganize though a corp has to have a backer to provide debtor in possession financing ... that's where the banks come in.  It's gonna get "worse" before it gets better.l