Digital vs print rules....

PhilB produced a thought-provoking post today on the subject of distributing rules digitally, which set me to thinking: which do I prefer?

The first two sets of Lardies rules I bought were IABSM3 and Dux Britanniarum, and in both cases I bought the online version, because - well, duh - I have an iPad, I'm an unrepentant geek, and having rules on an iPad appeals to my inner techno-nerd.

Except? I now own both sets in physical print. And that isn't just because I like keeping the TFL guys from going bankrupt. I use both, for vastly different reasons.

I've found that having a copy of the rules in digital form makes writing about them, be it a blog, a battle report, a scenario, an email or a Summer Special article, much easier. I tend to work on a laptop with an external display, and being able to keep the rules open in a spare window is really handy. In addition, having a copy on the iPad is just really handy for those moments on the train, in bed or whether when I think "I wonder, what if..."

But...

I've found that I much prefer playing off a physical printed book. Partly it's that an iPad tends to go to sleep when you put it down, and I have to keep mine set to PIN lock on sleep (it has my work email on it, and that's a condition of being able to do that). Partly it's that it's not quite as easy to flick pages on a tablet - admittedly, the latest TFL tablet editions do have a handy index which makes that a bit easier.

How about you?