About 20 years ago, there was only the print version, the joy of hard copies. But then came the digital reading with some real advantages. Ask your friends what they like about reading on laptop screens or mobile phones, and you hear them speak about convenience: “not bulky” and “unlimited access” when they are open-access. Electronics texts are important in increasing the learning opportunities. We even have digital libraries where you find a limitless (even if it is for a nominal charge) amount of resources. That surely is a plus. 

But the print comes with its own appeal, and there is no denying it. What draws people towards hard copy is that paper makes reading physically pleasurable. Further, there is no eye strain or headache, the common complaints mostly associated with staring at glaring screens constantly. Many – from teenagers to those of a certain age –still choose the print when it comes to reading for learning or for work, no matter what the digital reading has to offer.

In the interest of fairness, here is a list of reasons why people still prefer print over digital copies. 

1. Prints are blessed with pages which are soft and nice. Turning the gentle pages is a fun act as far as the reader is concerned. Digital reading, on the other hand, is a strain and is known to cause headache. Who would like to look at a computer screen after continuously working at your PC in the office?

2. Print copies are a treasure to keep. It is yours for life even if someone takes them away. The magazines or books you bought now will still be readable even after 50 years. It is nostalgic to see the print as it is 50 years later. It doesn’t mean that the digital copies will disappear in 50 years, but the format is likely to be different and will not give you the same feeling.

3. If you have a hard copy, you can give them to your friends as a gift. The digital copies can be shared but there is not as much thrill on offer as gifting a physical copy does. There is nothing quite like giving a print copy to your friend and saying, “Bro, you should read this. Wonderful!” 

4. If you feel like, you can write on a print magazine, dog-ear the important pages, and underline the key sentences with a pen or pencil. There is a digital equivalent to this, but they don’t seem to be the same and lack the fun factor in them.

5. The feeling of seeing a hard copy of the magazine at home is different from the digital access you enjoy. They can beautifully decorate your table or sit elegantly at a book rack or magazine stand. The sight of a magazine or a book  with a beautiful cover in the stand draws attention from readers. People tend to read the magazine when seen as a physical copy rather than digital.

6. Prints copies are better for your health. Studies found that staring at an electronic gadget for long affects one’s sleep especially when you’re looking at before going to bed. Not that the light on the screen upsets your sleep, but it also affects the health of your eyes, resulting in blurred vision in the long run.