The computer will soon replace the Book. Express your views either for or against this statement.
For the Statement
There has been a lot of talks lately concerning the possibility of computers replacing the position of books in our life. One may say that computers are far more effective because they are much more convenient–unlike books, which do not have an option of automatic search, and in order to find the necessary segment you have to look through the entire text.
Books are an ineffective source for containing information, while a computer’s hard drive can easily contain ‘thousands of books’, being as transportable as any single volume. Moreover, a computer is more helpful when information is needed quickly, for all you need to do is enter the necessary word into the search engine and skim through the results, whereas, in the case of using books you have to go to the library or a book shop.
If computers are to be used in place of books, they have a large variety meant for extensive reading. Thus, they have wide applicability ranging from complex ones for those who read for pleasure. Therefore, in the years to come, it is likely that computers will replace books totally.
Against the Statement
The statement – “The computer will soon replace the book” is not true. A good computer costs five thousand dollars, while a good paperback costs only five dollars. Many people cannot afford a computer and do not even have access to one. The Internet is an expensive service in most areas of the world, and there are monthly charges for it, which is beyond the price of the computer. Though computers will be less expensive in the future, they will still cost considerably more than a book.
A book has much greater authenticity than the information conveyed by a computer. By the time a book goes to press, it has been through the hands of the author, publisher, designers and editor. Information on the computer does not necessarily go through such a rigorous selection process. With very little effort, anyone can publish a document on the internet; anyone can be an author. As a result, there tends to be a lower signal–to–noise ratio on the internet.
Books possess an unquestionable cultural, symbolic and aesthetic value that computer lacks completely. A lot of people say that reading electronic texts is nothing near to holding an actual book in your hands, feeling the smell of paper and turning the pages as you read. Besides, reading books is not accompanied by harmful radiation that is inevitable when you use computers–certain individuals are even physically incapable of reading e-text for a long time.
Thus, computers will surely never ever replace the significance and use of books.