Someone tells you they know something, or they tell you something and that they can prove it. You click the link to know more, and instead of being told straight away you’re supposed to spend money. You then receive a standardized-length text, containing scattered bits of the information you wanted, lots of waffling, padding, anecdotes and forewords, and rarely any raw data dumps.
In the reasonable case, it’s also in a rather inconvenient format; text is still text, but there is no easy way of extracting data. The format contains DRM that, if you were to leave them in place, would enable a third-party company to revoke your access anytime they want, and prevent you from redistributing it. The latter is actually illegal, though it’s one of those obscure never enforced laws like “don’t fish in your pajamas”.
In the preposterous case, it’s a bunch of squiggles on organic matter. The organic lump must be physically schlepped to you, which can take days or weeks. It will then clutter your house, and is surprisingly heavy for its volume. Of course, it has no searching or exporting methods.
What’s next, going to Mount Sinai and waiting for research papers on marble tablets?
Books are such a ridiculous concept.
Someone tells you they know something, or they tell you something and that they can prove it. You click the link to know more, and instead of being told straight away you’re supposed to spend money. You then receive a standardized-length text, containing scattered bits of the information you wanted, lots of waffling, padding, anecdotes and forewords, and rarely any raw data dumps.
In the reasonable case, it’s also in a rather inconvenient format; text is still text, but there is no easy way of extracting data. The format contains DRM that, if you were to leave them in place, would enable a third-party company to revoke your access anytime they want, and prevent you from redistributing it. The latter is actually illegal, though it’s one of those obscure never enforced laws like “don’t fish in your pajamas”.
In the preposterous case, it’s a bunch of squiggles on organic matter. The organic lump must be physically schlepped to you, which can take days or weeks. It will then clutter your house, and is surprisingly heavy for its volume. Of course, it has no searching or exporting methods.
What’s next, going to Mount Sinai and waiting for research papers on marble tablets?