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E-book Etiquette?

Sparhawk

Sparhawk

Active Member
The other day there was a comment that some one doesn't like other people's sticking fingers all over their e-book, and this got me thinking about e-book etiquette.

With normal books it is quite acceptable to pick it up and look at the cover, read the blurb, and talk about what the person is reading, but with an e-book to pick up and switch it on and look it is different. Because the information is not just readily accessible it feels more invasive and less OK to do.

What do you think? Is there a new etiquette with e-books? How do you politely take a peek and see what the person is reading? And where is the line between OK and being nosy with some one else's device? Is this killing a conversation starter or does it just create a new conversation?
 
Hmmm interesting. I know certainly I have used the cover of a book some one is reading in public to start a conversation by saying 'That looks interesting, what is it about?' It is certainly harder to say that about an e-reader. You can hardly say 'that looks interesting', and to just ask 'what are you reading' is a bit nosy.
 
It would be and I know that if someone just picked up my reader and started looking through it or flicking through the pages of the book I'm reading, that I would feel as though they were invading my personal space in some way. Although if I am talking about books with someone and I pull out my reader and say look at this or that it would be different.
 
You know its funny but virtually the only place I call it an e-reader is either on this forum, or when I'm explaining what it is to some one. Otherwise at all times I just say 'my book'.
 
Yes I also do that. I don't think about the device, I think about what I'm reading on it, which is a book.
 
My e-book is ONLY handled by my wife or myself, as with any of our property. And neither of us has sticky fingers of any sort. No problems here. :D
 
A paper book is one thing, but to pick up someone's electronic device, turn it on and flip through it is just rude. Of course looming over
someone to read their paper book over their shoulder is also rude.
 
regdog said:
A paper book is one thing, but to pick up someone's electronic device, turn it on and flip through it is just rude. Of course looming over
someone to read their paper book over their shoulder is also rude.
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This is exactly what I was asking about, there is an etiquette with things like reading over other peoples' shoulders being rude, but does that rule change with E-Readers or does it stay the same and with things like asking people what they are reading, is that still nosy or does it become less nosy because of the fact that they CAN'T see what we are reading by the cover of our books? I think it still is a bit nosy but should we change that thinking?
 
regdog said:
A paper book is one thing, but to pick up someone's electronic device, turn it on and flip through it is just rude. Of course looming over someone to read their paper book over their shoulder is also rude.
Click to expand...

It is isn't it? I'm glad that I'm not alone in saying 'hands off!'.
 
Sparhawk said:
This is exactly what I was asking about, there is an etiquette with things like reading over other peoples' shoulders being rude, but does that rule change with E-Readers or does it stay the same and with things like asking people what they are reading, is that still nosy or does it become less nosy because of the fact that they CAN'T see what we are reading by the cover of our books? I think it still is a bit nosy but should we change that thinking?
Click to expand...

The etiquette changes as the technology changes. Flipping on someone's e-reader and perusing it would be no different than flipping on their
phone and scanning through their contacts etc.
 
I would hate it if someone picked up my Kindle, switched it on and started having a nose through it. I'd be quite offended in fact.

However, if I was reading a paperback and put it down for a second and someone picked it up to see what book I was reading... well, yeah that wouldn't offend me at all.

I guess because an eReader is a gadget it makes it more personal. To me picking up someone's eReader and browsing through it would be the same as taking a look at someone's laptop or something... in other words a big NO-NO!
 
Interesting isn't it how differently we feel about some one looking at our e-reader but not our book. I think of my e-reader as both a book and library in one. How do we feel about people looking at our bookshelves? Is that also a step too far? Or is it OK because every one does it? If I had a book shelf (shelves) of books they would be the same books I have on my reader. So why is the idea of some one looking at it without asking stepping into my personal space but the same person taking a gander at my bookshelves would be OK?
 
I know, it is weird.

I have to admit, that although I don't mind people looking at my books, I hate lending them out to people and actually avoid it as much as possible.
 
Karen C said:
I know, it is weird.

I have to admit, that although I don't mind people looking at my books, I hate lending them out to people and actually avoid it as much as possible.
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A close friend of mine asks to borrow books from me and likes to read in the bath. I get them back with the pages all cockled, but he is such a good friend that I cannot mind.
 
That's one of the reasons why I try and avoid lending books out to people, I don't mind family members reading them, but I'd get so annoyed if I lent one to a friend and got it back all dog-eared and what not.
 
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