Books are 1.0

The only books that I still have left are reference books like "The Apache Bible" or "Perl in a nutshell". I gave up fiction books a long time ago as I want to learn stuff not read the fantasies of other people.

Reading E-books is everything but comfortable for me - it's the distractions such as clicking to turn the page, instant messenger, and other stuff blinking in the background that takes the fun away. When you're in a hurry you can't just "fold up your notebook and throw it on the desk".

I agree, the net is one huge book that is much easier to navigate. The negative side of the internet is that there is too much information to filter out.

After some years of abstinence I started reading books again like two years ago. I use them to "switch off", calm down or whatever you'd call it. Since then my "TV-time" almost got to null, maybe two hours a week or so.

I mostly read classics that are regarded good or even valuable by critics or consensus. And I think stuff like that (like Lem's Star Diaries for example) are *very* hard to find in contemporary Internet space.

So, yes, I (still) read (again) ;)

I have never really read fiction.. and I now spend a lot of time reading CS related material and books. So I still read books, albeit not fiction, and there are really no substitute for good CS books.. not even the internet. The internet is a great reference but it just wont give you the distilled core of concepts and stuff to be extra careful about that good books will.

On that note I just received confirmation an hour ago that my Java Concurrency in Practice has shipped :)
I guess you can say I have made plans for the weekend :)

Well, If harry potter counts :)

but seriously, I spend about 2 hours/day reading on the internet. That time would be spend reading in books before...

damn you Google Reader!

I wouldn't underestimate the value of fiction books. At least for me reading books helps to relax and create new fantasies of my own. I don't think that technical or any other educational literature is good for enhancing creativity.

I totally agree, although I still think fantasy books are great - digital or not. But the best part of the internet is how you can instantly change what you're reading, hop around from link to link, and you usually end up reading stuff you never thought you'd read. You would certainly never spend money on a book about something you don't wanna read. I know I wouldn't buy a book on psychology, but I end up reading a lot about it on wikipedia.

You are right, Books are soooo 1.0

I read books all the time. I mainly use them as a good alternative for reading at my computer, as I'm trying to decrease my time spent at the keyboard. I think the great thing about offline books is that it's a lot easier to read concentrated, without getting distracted. I read lots of non-fiction as well as fiction.

I gave away a lot of my books... there are still some around: http://www.interfce.com/?p=111

Books are still very necessary, though obviously not code reference stuff. If you are going to read a 1,000 page great novel, would you read it on the screen? And almost all revolutionary ideas have come to me via books, not scanning blogs!

I haven't really had the time to read a great deal recently, what with exams (as my reading time tends to be from 10pm-2am, far too late for exams). I do enjoy reading though, whether it be fiction, autobiographies or technical books. I think all have their place and your probably missing out on a lot if you neglect any area.
But they don't necessarily have to be books, though fiction and autobiographies fit the book form (whether e-book or printed) better, whereas technical writing can be in other forms.

Absolutely. It is hard to find quality fiction on the internet. I will admit I no longer read reference books, and have gotten rid of many of them to unclutter my bookshelf, but I have always been a big sci-fi and fantasy reader.

If you can find *good* fiction on the internet, let me know and this may change. As it is right now, I read about one book a week.

The last fictional book I tried to read was Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and it was a good read, but I never really read it through, zZzz :)

I see that some comments are about inspiration and I must say that I most frequently get inspired by stuff on the Internet. For example, a good blog post by 37 Signals or a good TED lecture.

I still reads loads of books.. Nothing beats sitting in a warm chair with a cup of tea, a blanket and a good book. It is much more then just attaining information for me, it is a way to relax and get away, especially away from the computers.

As for factual information it has always been a fusion between web and books for me.

At the moment I got an old edition of Author C. Clarke's "Against the fall of night" lying at my bedside table, it is written before WWII but is so far-sighted that much of the technology exists today.

Go read a book, get away form the machine once in a while :)

Morten:
I do get away from the machine [I know, it's hard to believe] and when I do I don't read a book :) I usually do something active (like soccer, running or hanging out with friends). Doing sports is actually a really nice way to "get away". It's a whole different world, and there is nothing better than the feeling after a session with sports.

Sports and social behavior (ehm... hanging out with friends) also are important. Then more methods of "getaway from PC" you use then better should be the results :)

Wow. I know I do a lot of reading online, but I couldn't imagine giving up my books, fiction or non, and magazines.

On my recently read list: Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer and Somerset Studio and Cloth Paper Scissors magazines.