Actually, I'm in the target audience for phone books. I love receiving those (within reason). I wish I had more right now.
Why? Two main reasons. One is for actually looking up local telephone numbers. I prefer this to looking them up on the Web in many cases: the paper book doesn't call home, the business directory is harder to game, and it's all pre-localized. And it doesn't take away the choice of looking things up on the Web if I feel it's necessary, at the cost of some extra traceability &c.
The second reason is that I use extras as structural supports. Monitor too low (for instance)? Wrap phone book in duct tape. Now it's a brick. Construct environmental modifications out of phone bricks. They're relatively light while being solid, and they're already bound together, so you don't have the trouble of trying to make the rectilinear shape ex nihilo. I suppose I could buy stacks of newsprint paper or something, but going out and buying things is awkward, and phone books are often distributed free, so I'm only paying for time and duct tape.
Comments
Actually, I'm in the target audience for phone books. I love receiving those (within reason). I wish I had more right now.
Why? Two main reasons. One is for actually looking up local telephone numbers. I prefer this to looking them up on the Web in many cases: the paper book doesn't call home, the business directory is harder to game, and it's all pre-localized. And it doesn't take away the choice of looking things up on the Web if I feel it's necessary, at the cost of some extra traceability &c.
The second reason is that I use extras as structural supports. Monitor too low (for instance)? Wrap phone book in duct tape. Now it's a brick. Construct environmental modifications out of phone bricks. They're relatively light while being solid, and they're already bound together, so you don't have the trouble of trying to make the rectilinear shape ex nihilo. I suppose I could buy stacks of newsprint paper or something, but going out and buying things is awkward, and phone books are often distributed free, so I'm only paying for time and duct tape.