Theos-Talk Archives (February 2009 Message tt00365)

Excellent review of the current situation. Internet is still in its infancy
and we can expect a lot of innovations. Let us all wait and see how things
shape up.
mkr

On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 12:17 AM, danielhcaldwell <danielhcaldwell@yahoo.com
> wrote:

>   Make use of each & every valuable source whether online or available
> only as printed in a book
> ---------------------------------------------
>
> I love the Internet. I use it all the time. I've had a website
> up and running for many years. I like what you can do with websites:
> for example, linking, etc. etc. Things you could never do with printed
> material.
>
> Years before the Internet was up and running for the public, I had
> gathered alot of rare material on Madame Blavatsky and Theosophy. Way
> back then if someone wanted a copy of the material I had to photocopy
> it for them and then mail it to them. Of course that would take time
> and money. And then if a 2nd person or 3rd person wanted the same
> material I had to again copy it and send it. As soon as the Internet
> was available to the public and webpages became a reality I saw the
> potential for distributing material easily and inexpensively ALL OVER
> THE WORLD.
>
> BUT....
>
> I hope that printed material is not completely going away.
>
> In fact, at least at this stage in computer technology, there are
> definite advantages in many cases to printed material.
>
> For example, I find it very hard to quickly browse and scan through
> some websites whereas with a printed book or magazine it is quite easy
> to thumb thru and browse quite quickly thru the material getting ---
> for example --- an overview of what the book offers and is all about.
>
> If you go to Amazon.com, even if Amazon gives a partial view of the
> book's contents, many times it is still hard to know what the book is
> all about, etc. etc. whereas if you find that same book in a
> bookstore, you can quickly thumb thru the volume and determine the
> value of the book.
>
> Now take the following 5 books:
>
> Universe
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0756613647/blavatskystud-20/
>
> Earth
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0789496437/blavatskystud-20/
>
> Human
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0756605202/blavatskystud-20/
>
> History
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/075663119X/blavatskystud-20/
>
> The Great Book of Archaeology
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/8854008265/blavatskystud-20/
>
> The hardbound copies of these 5 books are literally breathtaking.
> These are large oversized books lavishly illustrated with beautiful
> colored photographs and good text and information. Each book gives you
> a breathtaking "tour" of the subject. If you want to have a basic
> understanding of any of these subjects, these books help you to get
> it. But simply to hold the books and browse thru them is quite an
> experience. As a librarian I love books and these books are simply a
> joy to browse through. As I said beautiful illustrations and large
> colored photographs...wow.
>
> An online version of any of these books could NOT give you the
> excitement and wonder that the printed books convey.
>
> Recently I saw a paperback version of the above History book at a
> local bookstore and it was both smaller than the original hardbound
> edition and the printing wasn't as well done. I was glad I had bought
> the hardbound larger edition.
>
> So although I value what is available thru the Internet and the WWW, I
> hope printed material doesn't go away any time in the near future!!
>
> Plus in many subjects it is hard to find the latest and most reliable
> information on the Internet.
>
> For example, the latest and most accurate information on various
> religions of the world is hard to come by on the Internet.
>
> I have compiled a page of links to various articles
> on the world wide web that give reliable and uptodate
> information on the many religions of the world --- past
> and present, east and west, north and south, the so-called
> dead religions, current world religions, cults, etc.
>
> This A-Z list can be found at:
>
> http://religiouslinks.net
>
> But the reality of the situation is that the most scholarly and
> reliable information on religions and many related subjects is simply
> NOT available online ---at least not for free.
>
> For example, the definitive 2nd ed. of THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION
> (in multi volumes) is not accessible for free on the WWW. Anyone who
> wants to gain a basic understanding of various religions, ancient or
> modern, from the east or the west, etc. etc. should consult this
> source but unless you have a subscription to this reference work or
> it is made accessible to you as a member of certain public libraries
> or if you are a student at some university library, then you cannot
> freely access online this wonderful source of information.
>
> Some outstanding and valuable Theosophic works are not accessible on
> the World Wide Web. Students should not neglect those works simply
> because they are not online.
>
> Many other examples could be given.
>
> In summary, I am glad to live in an age when we not only have printed
> books and material but also have online material thru the Internet.
>
> I say make use of each and every source....some on the World Wide
> Web...other sources in printed version....
>
> Daniel
> http://hpb.cc
> http://theosophy.info
>
>  
>


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