Would you prefer the Assimil text as book or PDF?

[AML]

This poll/question is a follow-up to my previous question asking if you prefer to read novels in book/e-reader form VS a format for computer/phone screens. What I was getting at was eye strain, without directly mentioning it, since a lot of people don't like reading long-form books on screens because it is less pleasant on the eyes.

Now, I'm curious if your answers change if the text in question is no longer a novel but, instead, language learning material. Thus I have written the poll to be about Assimil specifically. Assimil doesn't appear to offer their text in a PDF format, but let's just assume they do for the sake of this hypothetical situation.

Would you prefer Assimil in the traditional book form, or would you prefer a PDF so that you could copy/paste words and phrases into an SRS. Also, since making a PDF costs less than a book, I will assume that Assimil benevolently passes the cost savings on to you and makes the PDF cost 25% less.

[Speakeasy]

I answered the survey; however, there are an awful lot of "variations on a theme" on printed versus electronic media. The issues are often the same. You're not going to ask us about every type, are you?

[SGP]

Would you prefer Assimil in the traditional book form, or would you prefer a PDF so that you could copy/paste words and phrases into an SRS. Also, since making a PDF costs less than a book, I will assume that Assimil benevolently passes the cost savings on to you and makes the PDF cost 25% less.

I would rather read the book, because I, personally, am not cooking that particular Copypasta Dish anyway . Usually using used books for fulfilling lenient language levels.

EDIT: After having posted, I realized that possibly you intended this thread to be about a survey only and nothing else. But I couldn't have selected any of these two options anyway.

[neumanc]

Even though I prefer my Kindle for reading novels, for me everything I want to learn something from must be printed. If I only have a PDF, I will print it out first (or have it printed out and bound as a book). Maybe it's a generation thing, but I need to touch and feel my textbooks in order to look here and there, back and forth, etc. I couldn't imagine underlining or marking a PDF, even though I know it's possible with the right equipment and software.

[AML]

I answered the survey; however, there are an awful lot of "variations on a theme" on printed versus electronic media. The issues are often the same. You're not going to ask us about every type, are you?

Nope. Last one.

But even if I did, you could just ignore it.

[zenmonkey]

I'd usually prefer the cheaper version but $5 isn't a big enough difference for me. I'll stick to the physical version.

[Deinonysus]

Definitely the physical copy. Assimil is my electronics-free winding-down nighttime activity. I even bought a discman so I could listen to the audio without looking at a computer screen.

[Cèid Donn]

I do use some pdfs of textbooks because that's all I have access to--I was using a bad (and copyright-violating) pdf copy of the Assimil Breton book before I shelled out US$100 for the latest edition book with CDs. But if I have the choice, it will always be the printed book. Since you don't use textbooks and reference books the same way you would a novel, you will likely need to flip back and forth through the book to use the glossary, index, appendixes, table of contents, previously read points, that sentence you read but now can't remember what page it was on, etc., and a printed book is just easier to use for those things.

Plus you can't use book darts with pdfs. That pretty much settles it for me. Books darts are awesome. And I have 3 tins of them so I really should use them. #TeamBookDarts

The only redeeming feature of pdfs of reference books is if they support word searches.

[chove]

I prefer physical copies for reference texts like language books or sewing books, because I like/need to flip back and forth and look things up and so on. Which I believe is possible with electronic versions (at least some?) but I find that fiddly compared to just using my hands to open a printed book.

[zjones]

I'd prefer a book, hands down. PDFs are terrible on a Kindle, especially for bilingual texts. Also, I like to disconnect my learning from my computer as much as possible. Yes, I do listen to the Assimil MP3 audio on my computer so I can use Audacity, but that's just a necessary evil.

Plus, having a book provides me with greater flexibility. If I'm on a trip, I just bring the Assimil book and my phone loaded with audio. Packing up an expensive MacBook Pro, on the other hand, is more troublesome no matter how thin and light the notebook is. Of course then I have to worry about charging it, possible damage from packing or dropping it, and even theft.