Reading Debate with Bill Buxton

Posted By: Larry Larsen | Dec 22nd, 2009 @ 6:45 AM | 36,565 Views | 3 Comments
TVO.org dives into a discussion about reading with a panel of guests including Microsoft Research's Bill Buxton. As reading digital content 'onscreen' (whatever that screen may be) rather than in print increases, what will that mean for society? And as information delivery naturally 'packets down' from long-form literary novels to ever-shorter posts and tweets, are we witnessing the death of long-form storytelling?

This is an interesting dicussion worth watching. As technology adapts to humans and as humans adapt to technology I think we'll find an ever changing balance with reading habits. Devices like e-Ink Readers and slate tablets have great benefits for long-form reading, and sales of books like Twilight and the Harry Potter series suggest that we're still willing to invest time in a good text story even while the entropy of choice dictates that in our spare time we're more likely to jump across info-nuggets like social networking and news aggregators.

Also see:
Bill Hill: The Future of Reading on the Web Part 1
Bill Hill: The Future of Reading on the Web Part 2
Bill Hill: Will anyone read an onscreen book?
Bill Hill: Typography in Windows Vista
Tags: MSR, Reading
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#Dec 22nd, 2009 @ 8:06 PM
rtpHarry
rtpHarry

It was quite an interesting watch but I felt that Bill should have got a lot more air time. He managed to put himself across in a largely non-agressive manner and very eloquently as well rather than rambling on like a few of the participants did.

#Dec 22nd, 2009 @ 9:11 PM
JoshRoss
JoshRoss
A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent.

I enjoyed the format of this show.  In a world of television screamers, it's nice to have an hour long conversation focused on thoughtful discourse of a narrowly defined topic.  There were a few moments that I became so excited that I had to pause the video and walk around the room.  

 

Does anyone else feel better after talking to the computer screen, not as a fruitcake but rather a rational being encountering something genuinely new or revolutionary?

#Dec 23rd, 2009 @ 11:50 AM
MacNala2
MacNala2

Unfortunately this site prohibits it's viewing in my Country (UK). Shame it might have been interesting after viewing Bill Hill's blog piece.

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