How do you read your novels ?

[Freedoomy]

Well since baka-tsuki is a fan-translation project that does mainly light novels, I was just wondering how most users read their light novels.
-Are you a straight pc reader
-Do you print the novels
-Other ?

I started this topic because I usually dislike reading on my personal computer and so I'm left with printing most novels (mainly on my case Zero no Tsukaima). One thing we all have to agree, Light Novels are funny to read but the illustrations (mainly the covers) are really inapropriate and leave non-manga/novel readers staring at you with "who's that pervert" eyes (yeah at least ZNT gets 5* on cover pervertness).
When I print the novels I usually do it on a booklet format and then have to bind the covers (usually wire in a printing store), and I'm getting kind of tired of the above mentioned staring.
So how do you guys do it? lol

[rpapo]

I think you will find that most of us here read from the web browser. A smaller group downloads the PDFs (if and when we make one) and either prints them, or reads them from a PDA, Tablet or maybe even with a Kindle.

No covers. Frankly, I agree with your comments about the covers. The Japanese ones are bad enough, and the ones that Zen Books has made for Spice & Wolf are much worse.

[Mystes]

I read with a Kindle. Sometimes, I download some LN from the Chinese LN fan-translation and read them in TXT format.

I don't like to print, since I need paper and I dint want to use that much, as well as ink. And if a friend saw some printed covers he'd think that I have some ero-books that I hide cuz I'm underage. Especially when you see the Kore wa Zombie illustrations. No comments on them.

[rpapo]

I don't do a lot of paper reading anymore. Somebody with the best of intentions rearranged how things worked at work, labeling our trash cans for recycling unsoiled paper only, and I had to just give them back the can as useless, since I don't use any paper at all at work, and the only thing I used the trash can for was wrappers and boxes from what I bring for lunch and munch.

I've debated buying a Kindle, but since I got involved in learning Japanese I haven't read nearly as much regular stuff, so my PDA suffices for reading material when I'm stuck waiting in line somewhere. I have a stack of paper books that I haven't gotten around to reading yet. Some books have been in that stack, unread, for as many as eight years. But I read like some people eat: the yummy stuff first, leaving the rest on the plate.

[Mystes]

Well, take care of your eyes. It's better to print when there aren't a lot. Or else your eyes will hurt when you'll be old.

[Freed00m]

One more question, has anyone tried an Ipad for reading novels lol. I know it's really expensive but I just wanted your opinion on it (not even sure if Ipad reads pdf).

[rpapo]

Well, take care of your eyes. It's better to print when there aren't a lot. Or else your eyes will hurt when you'll be old.

Too late. I've been wearing bifocals since I was seven years old, and I've been using computer monitors since the late 1970s. I spend a good portion of every day in front of a monitor. That yet another reason for my particular choice of avatar.

Yes, my eyes are getting old and stiff... and I'm only in my fifties!

[Mystes]

Well, take care of your eyes. It's better to print when there aren't a lot. Or else your eyes will hurt when you'll be old.

Too late. I've been wearing bifocals since I was seven years old, and I've been using computer monitors since the late 1970s. I spend a good portion of every day in front of a monitor. That yet another reason for my particular choice of avatar.

Yes, my eyes are getting old and stiff... and I'm only in my fifties!

Still amazing the age difference between you and me.

[b0mb3r]

^ well he did mention he had a wife.....thought that would be a giver. Anyway I do feel iffy about kindle. They're like gameboys cept with books. At least paper can be recyclable, don't know about kindle. Also technology always rapidly improve over time and the kindle may be left in the garage. Books to me has a perfect formula (not immune to age...then again nothing is.)

[larethian]

kindle is pretty eye-friendly. it looks like paper. seriously.

[Krikit]

Recently I've become a fan of using the iPhone to read books. I'll make a PDF with the text size at 29, and there I go. It works very well. The screen is small, so you have to up the font yourself, but I like it. Why? I didn't pay a fortune for it, and the monthy cost is no more than any other cell phone, but there are like infinite more possibilities with the iPhone.

Also for reading the Japanese versions, find a .txt file and convert it to PDF with the right soft and boom, japanese books. I am an iPhone fan. Heck I'm typing all this text with it now.

[carj]

well kinda like Krikit im using my phone (a nokia N8) to read the novels, i convert them to ebooks, first used pdb but now i got a epub reader thats way better than the pdf/pdb reader i have, for the novels im lazy to make the epub im reading the pdf, a worthy pain in the ass lol

as for printing....well i really dont like reading like that cuz i no ill trow/forget/lose/rip (etc etc etc) the novels in the end, so its better to save paper (SAVE THE EARTH >=O)

[b0mb3r]

^ Paper over kindle. Same argument, don't know whether kindle is recyclable or not but is gonna be extinct.

[Krikit]

Paper has it's uses, and I think it will maintain control of the market. Why? Because who wants to stop reading on the sixteen hour flight because their battery goes out? But, ask yourself, for your book report on modern history, which helps more? A library or the Internet? I think given time, whether kindle dies or not, it will be much more convenient to read books via an electronic device. EPub or PDF aside.

Also, there is believe it or not, less stress on the eyes because there is no worry about surrounding lighting conditions. Give it time and a bit of effort i think many people will start reading via an electronic device.

[b0mb3r]

^ the thing is it will always will be some new "electronic device" to replace the previous one in this tech savy world. to me paper is the pinnacle of old technology because it runs on no "batteries." While you said "surrounding lighting conditions" and people does argue that too much reading and up close force ppl to wear glasses, I think the light emitting from the device is worst like the i-pads and iphones. the positive thing about kindle is like a gameboy, no light emitting from it.