@Jack – that’s a great counterpoint to the post. Unfortunately thought I have managed to catch a newspaper on fire while reading it…but not recently. And you’re right – throwing a laptop isn’t the same…

I agree that newspapers are going the way of the dinosaur, and I get my news almost entirely from the Internet, but there are still some advantages that the traditional newspaper holds over using a laptop to access the newspaper’s web site:

1. If you drop your newspaper, you’ll still be able to read it when you pick it up again.

2. The traditional newspaper doesn’t make your lap sweaty. (Although, I guess there are certain types of newspapers that could…)

3. Newspapers’ batteries don’t die; nor do they explode or catch on fire.

4. When the news really pisses you off and you need a cathartic release, ripping up a newspaper is much easier and less expensive than doing the same with a laptop.

5. If the power goes out or the network connection goes down, the newspaper still can be read.

6. The news in the newspaper doesn’t change; the web site keeps updating (OK, that can be both a pro and a con).

7. Silly Putty does not work on LCD’s.

Jack

As a former newspaper editor and reporter myself, I too lament the end of the print newspaper era. I completely agree with you: Newspapers have yet to invent an easier UI that can rival the Web for finding and digesting content quickly.

Unfortunately, gathering and publishing news is still being done by corporations using a very outdated methodology. Twitter is a good example of a way news can be disseminated quickly and more efficiently, yet very few organizations have figured out a way to handle this type of communication. Even the TV stations – once the bastion of live event coverage – are lagging in this day of Internet immediacy.

Anyway, great post. Just wanted to tell you that you’re right on.

- Stephen