What is reading?

[Jim]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading,_Berkshire

http://www.readingfestival.com/home/

[KnowLedge]

without looking at anything, if someone asked me this question..

my reply would have been "reading is the use of your eyes to see the outside world and interpreting the image using your brain and what you have learned in the past"

BUT then again there are different types of reading.. reading a book, reading a mind, reading the situation.. i assumed you meant reading of a book..

[MEZZANINE]

My simple answer to the question would be

The translation of symbols into thoughts, idea's and facts recorded by others.



Something interesting I did here was that if the human race disappeared today, in 100 hundred years the only records remaining would be carved in stone, the books will have rotted and all digital media would have deteriorated beyond use. Any alien or future earth evolved sentience would only have the most ancient carvings and some recent plaques to determine who we were.

[Kit-Fox]

Sorry Mezz, but some of the digital storagee currently in use could potentially last for a couple of thousand years before degrading beyond usefulness.

The question would be are you suggesting a total wipeout or only say a 90% wipeout. As with a total wipeout even the buildings & placques will have deteriorated beyond recognition by the time sentient life evolved again. If it was only a partial wipeout then with in a few centuries people would have recovered to a point to be able to use what was left behind which would still mostly be useable.

A decent book can last 200 - 300 years
Vellum can last almost indefinately it seems atm

Most current digital media if left unpowered and in a safe place could last for up to two thousand years before degrading. **depending on the media used that is**

A compact disc (seems the shorthad is filtered ???) can last for about 50 years, same as a dvd

A blu-ray disc which is made slightly different has a lifespan of about 70- 80 years

A hard drive if left unpowered and the seals unbroken could last for at least 400 - 500 years if not longer

some Roms/Eproms etc could last indefinately or so it seems atm, again if left unpowered and in a safe place.

So you see there might be a lot left over should any such scenario come to pass