There is nothing that can compare with the look and feel of hard copy. To tell the truth, I miss having a desk cluttered with reference books and a notebook. Words written with ink and not something out of a binary system that few actually understand. No electronics...just paper and words........
@Bobby Cole I picked up mine quite a few years ago at a professional convention (of all places) and got a serious discount, PLUS I got the Colliers for free for buying the Britannica. We were homeschooling at the time and I gave the big set to the older child and the smaller set to the younger child. Now my grandchildren use them if they are here, as their parents don't allow them much computer time. The Britannica representative told me they had discontinued the print version in favor of the digital-only version, but they got so many complaints that they resurrected the print version. I think the paper version is no longer offered, so I am glad I got it when I did. I occasionally use the big one to look up things in detail (Macropedia part), as it addresses fewer things but in much greater detail.
A lot of detail went into those books with the best writers and photography that could be produced. Whether studying or just paging through, a good reference book is one of the most pleasure filled things I can think of to do. It’s so much better than punching a bunch keys just to find some stupid ad covering the need to know part of the information I’m attempting to glean. A couple of days ago I was doing a study on the muscle fibers of the deltoids (internet site) when an ED ad covered the portion I was researching. The ad itself must have been on some sort of stimulant because no matter what I did, it wouldn’t go away!
@Tim Burr "Seems that no matter how many years I've worked on pumps and machinery, I'll come across something that stumps me." Have you worked on compressors much? Stumped me when I heard this, but many newer vehicles are using Scroll Compressors for Air Conditioning. Turns out, my '04 Ford Explorer has one! No pistons, no valves, no swash plate. Just one stationary and one driven scroll!
@Frank Sanoica sure have, it's about the only type of compressor you can get for HVAC these days. Love' em. Fewer moving parts, quiet, less vibration and last a very long time, properly installed. Started showing up in the 90's and actually was invented in 1904 for steam use. You'll find them in cars and homes as well as Commerical units. Our 20 ton units have 3 in each unit and they just 'purr' along...
@Tim Burr How interesting to learn! I'm a product of the Stone Age, I guess, having worked on big Hermetics which sounded horrible even after fresh rebuilding. Somehow, reciprocating refrigeration compressors have always "gotten my goat". Two good ones I've known were the GM A-6, an axial-piston design, quiet, long-lived, and expensive to build, and another I have yet to confirm properly, in my friend Bruce's GM Fiero. He claimed it was an axial with a variable-angle swash plate, which allowed dynamic adjustment of volume pumped from zero to maximum, one of the best efficiency-designs we could imagine. Wonder if you have any variable swash-plate experience? Frank EDIT: Early GM A-6
The problem with encyclopedias is that they eventually become obsolete. History will probably remain the same but many things will change as the years go by. As for what I believe from the internet...….. not much. Especially if it's from CNN or the Washington Post.
One of the encyclopedia companies (I believe Britannica but don’t quote me) guaranteed yearly updates for something like 5 years then you had to pay extra year to year.
That is what I was told. When I bought the books, I also got the Electronic Version that was updated annually for a while, then you had to buy a subscription, just like you did with the Yearbooks for Britannica and World Book in a bygone age.