http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Dissertation Research - Survey on usage and attitudes to eBooks en Thu, 21 May 2026 20:32:51 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698&page=2#post-78573 Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:35:44 +0000 Tom 78573@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I once counted the number of books we had. On the children's shelves alone there were more than 300. We ran out of storage for all kinds of books years ago. But I also like gadgets. I've been waiting for e-readers to become usable. I didn't think the Sony was, nor the Nook, nor the early Kindles. But the Kindle 3 reached the tipping point for me. I have about 80 books on it which represents about two shelves of space saved. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698&page=2#post-78566 Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:59:04 +0000 Zenfrozt 78566@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Sallyhinch please feel free :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698&page=2#post-78560 Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:38:01 +0000 sallyhinch 78560@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Zenfrozt - do you want this spread further? I have some writers forums where I can post it as well as via twitter. But I don't want to mess with your demographics </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78500 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:10:18 +0000 kaputnik 78500@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I watched a man try to drive his swanky new Merc away from it's parking space the other day. I could see in the window, and rather performing car-related tasks like gears, clutch, mirror, steering wheel etc., he was twiddling the in-flight computer system dial located by the gear stick, trying to get his car to boot up. It got me thinking about how over-loaded some cars are with distractions that checking mirrors and using indicators become a minor irritant to be avoided as they distract you from being immersed in your comfy chair, air-conditioned environment listening to your favourite music on a stereo better than the one you have at home while you try and plot a route on the GPS and set what sort of in-seat vibrations you'd like to help soothe you off gently to sleep. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78499 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:59:24 +0000 cc 78499@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Meanwhile, I see you can now play with Facebook, Twitter, etc. on your iPhone-linked in-car infotainment system if you have a New Mercedes A-Class. Beats paying attention to the road in front, eh?</p> <p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/car-tech/satnav/new-mercedes-a-class-goes-iphone-crazy-1087628" rel="nofollow">http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/car-tech/satnav/new-mercedes-a-class-goes-iphone-crazy-1087628</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78497 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:50:47 +0000 chdot 78497@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Like a bucket of water being used to douse the Kindle's flames"</p> <p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/google-nexus-7-1087040/review" rel="nofollow">http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/google-nexus-7-1087040/review</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78492 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:33:57 +0000 cc 78492@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm doing the survey now. A few comments - </p> <p> - I also had problems with the big gaps in the income ranges.</p> <p> - "i.e." stands for "that is". Use "e.g." to mean "for example". A pet irritant of mine!</p> <p> - I read eBooks occasionally but I much prefer paper books, so you might want to allow for that possibility in questions 17-19? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78488 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:08:01 +0000 Kirst 78488@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, I enjoyed not being bracketed with the nearly-50s. </p> <p>I read a lot but I don't have an electronic reading device. I'd drop it in the bath. And although I can see how they would be useful to take on holiday to cut down on the weight of a suitcase full of books, I'd worry it would get nicked when I went for a swim. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78480 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:44:23 +0000 sallyhinch 78480@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ah, go to Dumfries Tescos where the checkout people have been trained to ask *everyone* if they're over 18 before scanning any alcohol. </p> <p>Oh and thank you Zenfrozt for using 35-44-type age ranges rather than 40-49 ones. I'm just hoping that by the time I get to 45 I'll be less in denial about being in my 40s than I am now... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78478 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:36:25 +0000 Uberuce 78478@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>From having met some of you, I estimated that most were likely to be over the age of 25.</em> </p> <p>*wounded pride*</p> <p>You're just like those swinebags at the self-serve supermarket tills that don't even have the decency to pretend to hover over the<em> Customer is Clearly Over 25</em> button.</p> <p>Filled out the survey, of course. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78453 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 11:16:28 +0000 sallyhinch 78453@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Done. I wasn't going to do it because I don't read e-books but then I realised you probably wanted some negative results as well. The only time I've had a look at an e-reader it was my mother in law's Nook (another older person) and it made me want to throw it across the room because the interface was so unintuitive. She absolutely loved it, though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78435 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:53:45 +0000 steveo 78435@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I'd also be interested to know if ebook reading has increased the amount of 'old' books being read on the basis that they are free.</em></p> <p>I know that was one of the draws for me. I downloaded loads of public domain books and with them being on the phone I found I read them when ever I had ten minutes. Its the one thing I miss about bus commuting, I have much less time to read. </p> <p>I tend to read dead tree books in the house, if only because its easier to get them from the library or other sources of used books. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78431 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:47:02 +0000 cb 78431@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Their eyes will go widescreen if they're not careful. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78430 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:45:10 +0000 kaputnik 78430@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My parents spent my youth telling me computer and TV screens would make my "eyes go square", and refused to have more than one TV in the house, which had dials instead of buttons and was encased in mock-wood bakelite and came with legs and wheels built into it. By around the age of 16 they traded up to a slightly more modern CRT, but sister and I were never allowed to raise the subject of having TVs in rooms. I bought a computer with earnings from my first job aged 17 and largely abandoned TV for staring at a different sort of screen all day and all night.</p> <p>They now own a big LCD telly on which my Mum watches endless sky plus recordings, 2 flat-screen computers, a tablet, a kindle and both have smartphones.</p> <p>Pots. Kettles. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78429 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:44:56 +0000 cb 78429@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd also be interested to know if ebook reading has increased the amount of 'old' books being read on the basis that they are free.</p> <p>Being a bit of a cheapskate I've never bought an ebook, reckoning that there's more than enough in the way of 'classics' to keep me going for pretty much ever.</p> <p>FBReader for Android recommened. Seems to be getting harder to find actual free stuff on Kindle these days. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78428 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:43:29 +0000 chdot 78428@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I like books I have hundreds - 'reference' rather than 'fiction'. I just wish they had a search facility!!</p> <p>I definitely do much more reading on screen - but seldom 'books'. </p> <p>Last book I read wasn't finished before it had to go back to library for next borrower so I photographed last 50 pages to read on next train journey!</p> <p>No doubt against copyright. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78427 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:42:12 +0000 gembo 78427@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh yeah, but not as bad as the Institute of advanced Motorists, demographic is 80% male over the age of 55 according to their surveys </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78426 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:37:43 +0000 Zenfrozt 78426@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lol before everyone gets upset, I needed responses from people over the age of 25 to make things more representative. A large proportion of my friends filled it out skewing the results in favour of those 21 - 25. </p> <p>From having met some of you, I estimated that most were likely to be over the age of 25. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78425 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:36:05 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 78425@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My father-in-law turned 70 last month and loves his Kindle in the same way as SRD's mother-in-law. Much much prefers it to paper books. Hadn't thought about the whole 'staring at a screen all day' thing - I guess I spend a lot of time in front of a computer at home as well, so maybe the paper is a welcome break. Even going on holiday I don't mind books taking up case-space. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78424 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:34:08 +0000 chdot 78424@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>To clarify slightly -</p> <p>Zenfrozt asked 'permission' to post this thread saying that CCE members would be the perfect demographic or age profile or just perfect or something... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78423 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:33:36 +0000 gembo 78423@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I asked my partner's sister to fill it in as she loves her kindle. She is 51. Young people do not appear to read that many books? Apart from all the young people that do read books. kindle's break more than paper books, the cheapest kindle is also best apparently as it does not have the poncey page turning function, tho many people may like it.</p> <p>Julian Barnes does not like a kindle. Worried that book shops will go out of business. All reminiscent of downloading music and the loss of earnings for artistes </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78419 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:29:29 +0000 kaputnik 78419@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Young(ish). (Relatively). and Kindle-less of Marchmont. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78414 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:24:09 +0000 Zenfrozt 78414@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hi guys,</p> <p>Thank you so much for taking the time both to take the survey and to respond on here. </p> <p>I appreciate the feedback and will adjust this for the paper version of the survey. Unfortunately the software I'm using to host it means I am unable to change anything at this stage without risking losing the data I have collected so far.</p> <p>@Morningsider, that is a fair point. I was working on the principle that putting the demographic part first made it more open and obvious to the respondent. I hadn't factored in that it might put people off filling it in. </p> <p>In regards to question 18,19 and 20. I had hoped that the fact that question 18 pointed people towards the separate questions would be enough to make this clear. I will see however, if I can add in a short sentence that makes this a little clearer.</p> <p>@cb The red asterisks indicate questions that require an answer. The software is supposed to flag it up and tell you if you don't fill that question in.<br /> In regards to the 'easier to carry and pages easier to turn' response, I shall alter this for the paper version. </p> <p>@arellcat it is my dissertation. Sorry I should really have explained a little more about it in my opening post. </p> <p>I am aiming to explore which demographics are currently using eBooks with a view to coming to a conclusion about whether or not the mad scramble by publishers to digitise everything is justified or if they risk alienating/losing a growing group in society - which is those over the age of 50. </p> <p>I began the project by hypothesising that the traditional view is that those over the age of 50 tend to be slower in the uptake of technology and less interested in the latest gadgets. I was concerned that the emphasis being placed on eBooks, eReaders and digital purchasing risked losing this lucrative market. </p> <p>Anecdotal evidence so far though points to that age group being the prime users of eReaders with my own generation trailing behind. I want to examine why this appears to be the case and what people's reasoning is behind their purchases of eBooks and eReaders.</p> <p>@Chdot, I think my above explanation may be better than the one I sent you but with each synthesis the project improves :D</p> <p>@fimm thanks I did my best to make it easy to follow.</p> <p>@Bhachgen thanks for spotting that. My dyscalculia strikes again. Not sure if I can edit that on the online version but I shall change it for the paper survey. Thank you.</p> <p>Thanks to everyone who has spared the time to fill in the survey. I can't express fully how grateful I am :)</p> <p>Zenz </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78406 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:12:36 +0000 SRD 78406@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>my mother-in-law's in her 80s and loves her kindle. says everyone she sees in the airports etc using them is grey-haired. the demographics should make for interesting reading. </p> <p>i think though that to assess the screen/non-screen thing you need to factor in that some of us spend all day looking at screens for work (and fun). so when i read, i do prefer paper. but perhaps for retirees the screen-ness is less of an issue, if they're not on screen all day. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78398 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:00:41 +0000 Bhachgen 78398@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Done. There are some "gaps" in your income ranges. Otherwise a straightforward survey </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78394 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:45:42 +0000 steveo 78394@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've also filed it in. I have nothing to add ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78391 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:42:12 +0000 Arellcat 78391@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Zen, I've done it too.</p> <p>I didn't provide details on the submission page though because I didn't know enough about the dissertation's objectives, but might have otherwise. Out of interest, is it your dissertation or another's? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78390 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:40:18 +0000 cb 78390@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Done.</p> <p>Didn't work out what the red asterisks indicated on some of the questions.</p> <p>Also, very minor niggle: I selected "easier to carry and pages easier to turn" (or something like that) as a reason for using ebooks. But it's only really the first point I was agreeing too. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78383 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:23:34 +0000 Morningsider 78383@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Zen - nice survey. I've got a few (hopefully positive) suggestions to make:</p> <p>Move the demographic information to the end, people are more likely to fill it in at the end than at the start.</p> <p>You might want to incude a "co-habiting" option under marital status, as this covers a large group of people.</p> <p>Maybe worth emphasising in the current reading habits section that you re solely talking about books, as opposed to magazines, newspapers etc.</p> <p>Q18 - you might want to incude a short sentence at the end advising respondents to go to Q20 as Q19 doesn't apply to them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7698#post-78380 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:20:04 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 78380@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Done too.</p> <p>I think if wildly OT is also identified as such, and it's transparent the reasons for doing so... </p>