Go problems: better in book form or online?

[blindgod]

I'm new to the game (I've been playing about 3 weeks) and in addition to getting beaten on KGS, I've been trying to do as many problems as I can, both in book form and online. I was curious if people feel that one is necessarily better than the other, or if they're just different. For reference, I'm using GoChild and Graded Go Problems for Beginners.

It seems that the advantages the books offer is portability (I don't own an iPhone or smartphone or the like) and that they seem to encourage more reading out beforehand rather than the step-by-step approach of an interactive website. On the other hand, websites seem to give more feedback. Plus, on a website, I'm forced to find the correct solution. This contrasts with books where, once I think I've found the answer, I turn the page and find that I was wrong, but am then presented with the answer itself.

I'm just curious if anyone has thoughts on this.

Thank you.

[snorri]

I think they are both useful in that it is better to have access to go problems than not to.

Some advantages of online / computer:

1. If diagrams are too small, it is easy to magnify them.
2. Although the online sites don't always do this, a computer program such as uliGo can randomly rotate problems or switch colors. I don't think this matters much for anything but doing the simplest problems for speed, but some people like that.
3. Some online go problem collections are free.
4. Easier to represent multiple variations / refutations. Books usually just give the main line and maybe 1 variation.

Disadvantages of online / computer:
1. Easy to get into a mad-clicking habit that isn't productive.
2. Need to have internet access or computer access.
3. Some of the online sites have mistakes in their solutions.

Advantages of books:

1. Some problem collections are only in books.
2. No requirement for power, electronic devices, or internet connections.

Disadvantages of books:

1. They cost money.
2. As physical artficacts you have to have a place to keep them.
3. While 1 book is portable, a collection of 100 books is not.
4. They can get worn out. (Although, for some this might be a point of pride. )

[judicata]

Online problems are mostly free, which is a big plus. I haven't tried, but you can probably print many of them out for some self-imposed discipline, marking the answers and checking them afterward--though that could be a pain.

I use both, but prefer books for the reasons you mention. If you have the discipline not to get click-happy, online problems definitely have their advantages (I probably have the self-discipline in me somewhere, but I'd rather not exercise it ).

[blindgod]

I am lucky in that, since my wife works for a local college, I have access to their library. I'm further lucky that this library has a decent collection of Go books. So, at least for now, cost isn't an issue.

[Numsgil]

(I don't own an iPhone or smartphone or the like)

In terms of portability and usability, I find problems on my iPhone to be superior to books. It's just so easy to whip out my phone and do 2 or 3 problems while I'm waiting for a train.

So I guess I'm saying you're missing out

[kirkmc]

Books are far better. You are forced to read - to visualize - every move. On a computer or phone, you can play a couple of moves and see the result, then go back when it's wrong.

[Dusk Eagle]

Books are far better. You are forced to read - to visualize - every move. On a computer or phone, you can play a couple of moves and see the result, then go back when it's wrong.

If you can avoid doing this, then I think book and computer are both fine. But not doing this can be quite hard sometimes, so I think a book is better if you're willing to buy one. But don't let not having a book prevent you from doing problems altogether!

[topazg]

I think both are fine. Most of my Go problem time is spent on the computer, but I enjoy books more, so it's six of one, half a dozen of the other - they'll both help.

[Mike Novack]

Important if using the computer to wait and read instead of "try". Or at least don't look at the answer too soon, but that's true for the book too.

I'd say this decision might depend on just what "extras" the computer is providing. Some of the computer ones provide ......

1) Keeping track of which ones you get right, which wrong, and serving back the ones you get wrong till you learn them. Like automated "flashcards" with the probability of revisiting a problem dependent on your error rate answering that problem.

2) Serving the problems up in different orientations and color reversal.

3) It would be huge book to even approach the volume of what the computer might be able to serve up.

[judicata]

. . .
2) Serving the problems up in different orientations and color reversal.

. . .

I had forgotten about this--but I agree this is a nice plus. To achieve a similar effect for books, someone on these forums recommended reading it upside down, which gets you part of the way there.