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This WaPo piece makes 2 common mistakes in talking about screens. 1. Downplaying the problem. By telling readers they recall “slightly less information” from screens than paper, the article ignores how the problem compounds over time. A small thorn in the side can still do real damage.

washingtonpost.comColumn | What you miss when you read on a screenE-readers are convenient but for some kinds of reading going digital comes with drawbacks.

Stephen Harrison

@stephenharrison.com

2. Ignoring the mindset difference. People have developed digital habits from interacting with screens where they change contexts every 45 seconds. Those habits don’t go away simply by swapping the screen. By contrast, most of us associate paper with a slower, deeper mode of attention.

18/10/26, 5:04 pm1 repost3 likes

Stephen Harrison

@stephenharrison.com

I do give the WP article points for mentioning the ownership issue (“the lack of ownership is the most enervating thing about e-books”)