Not Obsolete, Yet Going Extinct

The world received word yesterday that the publishers of Encyclopedia Britannica would stop producing hardbound, paper copies of their venerable reference.  Of course now you wonder, if they don’t print it out, how can you scan it into your computer?

They only sold around 8,000 of the $1,400 volumes that are updated biannually.  The rest are in a warehouse in Chicago, looking for someone who needs historically accurate, out-of-date information.  Surprised they didn’t obtain a government contract.

Of course this is changing due to the Internet, but not everyone has Internet access, only two thirds of America has Internet access.  Of course apparently the remaining one third don’t have much demand for 400 lbs of book learning.
  
The most common complaint about the Internet standard edition of the encyclopedia, Wikipedia is accuracy?  What is accuracy  anyway?  In today’s Wikipedia what is considered accurate is up for debate and is changed frequently, rather than relying on a few content experts to judge what is really true.  It’s sometimes messy, it’s sometimes volatile or out of date, but it’s democracy. 

It’s amazing that stories reporting the demise of the print edition have numerous comments about the story, fitting in personal beliefs and shots at other people or groups of people.  If you tried that in the print edition at the library, you would be banned.

The modern world has given us easier access to information, far speedier correction and points of view, but also allowed all of us to take part.  Write and contribute to the world knowledge in a very direct way.  Literally we have a way to define history.  But I gotta go, my Postman has a 400 lb package at the door for me.


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It's a common problem. You have this wicked sweet tune in your head, but your Gibson Les Paul is at the cleaners. All you have with you is your iPad that you managed to pry from your sister when she finally had to rehydrate herself after a marathon session of Jetpack Joyride. What to do? First spend all your sister's Jetpack coins on the rainbow jetpack, then, open up Garage Band for iPad. There you have a Swiss Army Knife of musical instruments. (Haven't you ever wondered why more countries didn't invade Switzerland when their army only has multi-tool knives to defend themselves? Could be that they can easily open beer and wine bottles and invading armies are soon too drunk to remember why they invaded.)

The latest version of GarageBand has lessons for guitar and keyboard as well. But I still went to my piano teacher.

The piano teacher did not like the fact that my keyboard was in fact an iPad. You could see it all over his face. That and the leftover Nutella from breakfast. I tried in vain to explain that the iPad while being a modern day internet and communication device capable of redefining the computing, design, media and entertainment industries can also be a bitchin piano. I showed him the ability to play different sounds, much like a synthesizer as well as able to record the music and have drum and bass accompaniment. While he appreciated drum and bass accompaniment that didn't result in the raiding of his liquor cabinet, staining of the carpets and the deflowering of his daughters, he was reluctant to see past the novelty.

I was able to show him some interesting videos on YouTube featuring iPad bands. That merely reinforced the novelty aspect. One video displayed the guitar mastery of someone playing Stairway to Heaven on the iPad. Which is possibly the most overplayed song ever in music stores, bringing about such rage that the sales clerk would bash the head of the offending guitar player with any available instrument. Which reminds me, maybe the cleaners were able to get that stain out of the Les Paul.