A few posts back, I delivered a short rant about black buttons on black electronics.

I could write a much longer rant on those same electronic devices having planned obsolescence. It’s bad enough that consumers do not have the option to purchase a device that is sturdy enough to last for many years, or devices that can be repaired for a modest fee. These days our electronic devices are actually designed to become obsolete in a matter of years or even months. One year after buying my cell phone I was unable to purchase a charger for it because they don’t make them in that style anymore. I was told I’d have to purchase a new phone, and everything that went with it. I declined.

My VHS collection went the way of the dinosaur. I like DVDs, with the ability to change language tracks and other special features. However now some manufacturers are neglecting to put any specials on the DVDs, choosing instead to push Blu-Ray technology by making it the only way to see the movie’s special features.

I’m not willing to discard all my DVDs and re-purchase everything on Blu-Ray. Perhaps the technology is an improvement, but it is not worth it to me. How long will it take for Blu-Ray to become the old, outdated technology? Streaming technology is better in many ways. I admit that I rarely take a DVD off the shelf with so many possibilities to stream video. Someday, I might even accept that I don’t own any movies, I simply own the right to stream them from a service for a specific time. If I can no longer afford the monthly charge, *poof* go my movies.

I would like to purchase an e-reader. There are many choices out there, with competitive features. But no matter which one I pick, my biggest fear is that all the virtual books I purchase will be unreadable as technology progresses.

I love my books. I hate storing and moving them, but I love seeing them and remembering the stories, though I admit I do not often re-read them. A book to me is a tangible thing I hold in my hands to enjoy. Flipping forward to see if I’m close to the end of the chapter, looking at the top to see by the placement of my bookmark whether I’m halfway or more through, these are important aspects of my enjoyment. If I were to look at my bookshelf tomorrow morning, and find that all my books had magically turned into incomprehensible ansi, I would be devastated.

I don’t want my books to be obsolete.

The shortlink for this post is http://wp.me/p1qnT4-fG