111–120 of 199 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Except I don't flip to a random page on the internet. Like you, I am remembering the serendipity of the encyclopedia (and libraries for that matter).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
Open two tabs with random wikipedia articles. See how many clicks it takes to get from the first article to the second by just clicking links.
It's pretty fun and educational.
> in print form, accessible to all That's a contradiction, albeit surely an unintentional one. Only electronic text is fully and automatically accessible to the blind, visually impaired, and dyslexic. I assume that in this context, "accessible to all" is intended to mean that it's accessible to people without computers. How big a problem is that these days?
Also, this encyclopedia is only accessible to those who pay $1200, who can only access it if they are physically in the room where the buyer has installed it. That's not accessible in my view.
>Later, I introduced the encyclopedia to my kids. They had never used a print encyclopedia, and they looked at me like I was an alien, almost as if I were speaking a different language (such a trite expression, but man, is it accurate). I had hoped they could use the encyclopedia as an old-fashioned reference, but so far, they have completely and utterly rejected it, not even expressing interest or opening it once. T…
My parents had Encyclopedia Britannica and I'm convinced that was a huge benefit to me that I'm still realizing today. I was born in 1965 and can remember even in elementary school any time I had a question my parents couldn't answer we'd look it up in the EB. Pretty soon I was habituated to just go there on my own and look up anything. When bored I'd pull out a random volume and just flip through it looking for anyt…
Younger but very similar. Read A to S. I started T and went to college. I think it cost about $2.5k. What's odd is my parents never read it as they were illiterate. I found most of the topics were very short. Going in depth was limited to the library books. Picking six books only to find them referencing themselves was annoying. Six books with 130% total page content between them. I did learn how to read, skim, absor…
Not odd. If they're anything like my family, they would have bought it hoping it would help you escape the same fate.
> Younger but very similar. Read A to S. I started T and went to college.
The animal kingdom has long suffered from overfamiliarity with aardvarks and the existential denial of zebras ;)
>Later, I introduced the encyclopedia to my kids. They had never used a print encyclopedia, and they looked at me like I was an alien, almost as if I were speaking a different language (such a trite expression, but man, is it accurate). I had hoped they could use the encyclopedia as an old-fashioned reference, but so far, they have completely and utterly rejected it, not even expressing interest or opening it once. T…
>Later, I introduced the encyclopedia to my kids. They had never used a print encyclopedia, and they looked at me like I was an alien, almost as if I were speaking a different language (such a trite expression, but man, is it accurate). I had hoped they could use the encyclopedia as an old-fashioned reference, but so far, they have completely and utterly rejected it, not even expressing interest or opening it once. T…
I remember this vividly. The end-cap on one of the aisles was where the encyclopedias were stocked. The "A" volume was sold for $0.01. One penny! I remember being incredulous at the low price. My dad: "Wait until you see what they charge for 'B', kiddo."
> in print form, accessible to all That's a contradiction, albeit surely an unintentional one. Only electronic text is fully and automatically accessible to the blind, visually impaired, and dyslexic. I assume that in this context, "accessible to all" is intended to mean that it's accessible to people without computers. How big a problem is that these days?
Also, this encyclopedia is only accessible to those who pay $1200, who can only access it if they are physically in the room where the buyer has installed it. That's not accessible in my view.
> Opening up a volume of the World Book took me back in time. > ... > As for its content, the 2023 edition doesn't shy away from the contemporary. Yeah, there's a weird schism there. I am considering now trolling the local thrift stores and antique malls for a complete encyclopedia set — but one perhaps from the 70's or 80's. I'll save a bundle and can go back to a world that frankly seemed a lot more optimistic.
If you do, make sure you read the section on the USSR. See how optimistic it seems then.
> U.S.S.R. stands for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the official name of Russia. See Russia.
For Russia, https://archive.org/details/worldbookencyclo0016unse_f8g2/pa...
I don't see much optimism, but I didn't read it closely. There is a lot of "it sucks to live in Russia."
My parents had Encyclopedia Britannica and I'm convinced that was a huge benefit to me that I'm still realizing today. I was born in 1965 and can remember even in elementary school any time I had a question my parents couldn't answer we'd look it up in the EB. Pretty soon I was habituated to just go there on my own and look up anything. When bored I'd pull out a random volume and just flip through it looking for anyt…
I grew up with World Book encyclopedias and it was very much the same. Until we got a computer. Encarta was the coolest thing I had ever used and I spent hours playing with the interactive encyclopedia. After that I hardly touched the printed books.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I remember this vividly. The end-cap on one of the aisles was where the encyclopedias were stocked. The "A" volume was sold for $0.01. One penny! I remember being incredulous at the low price. My dad: "Wait until you see what they charge for 'B', kiddo."
Do you remember how much the B volume cost?