In defense of needing (based on your needs) a strategy guide, some very in-depth games can be overwhelming. To the average player, I mean. Like myself. I don't know how you higher intellects can possibly cope.
Take Morrowind, for example. Before that game came along, I was used to linear games. Maybe I can get away without the guide. After all, once you get so far, you're finished with the game anyway. Cue credits. I win. After playing it for 20 minutes, I knew how gigantic it could potentially be. When I saw the size of the guide, I knew I had to have it.
I expected Oblivion to be equally (and then some) overwhelming, so I reserved the guide again. Then I found out that everything is handed to you via your handy dandy compass, and all the locations are jammed into a small land mass anyway. Didn't really need the guide.
I also assumed FO3 would be overwhelming, and got the guide. I'm glad I did, because there's a lot to cover on that land. It was much more difficult to fully explore than Oblivion.
For TES V, I'm getting the damned guide. Again.

I dont like using UESP when I first run through, if im stuck, ill use a strategy guide because its so much more reliable and organized, however, when i want to say...look up a merchants blunt skill, Ill go to UESP. There is also something to be said for having cold hard pages in your hands!

I guess i am an old fart. I remember the day, we needed the Game Guides, because we didn't have any of this stuff we have now. Anthour reason game guides are not as popular is they shot themselves in the foot. Making crappy guides where you still had to come to the net for help, and didn't really do much or add much info.

Now one of the best game guides EVER was for Masters of Orion, the first game. My god, that was a game guide. Info for things you didn't even know you wanted and glad to have. Also I like the Daggerfall, and Morrowind Prophecies. I also got Oblivion as well for a good read. Even though Oblivions guide wasn't as good as Prophocies, it was in colour. For TES V, Bethesda, or who ever will make it, will have to do extra good to make me get it. I didn't bother with the Fallout 3 game guide, I just came here and used the wiki.

What I want in a guide, is a mutiple ways of making characters. Not just one way and that's it per class. I want colour, mono tone gets so boring. (But at least it worked for Morrowind Prophocies. )

I want to know where all the locations are.

I want to know useless stuff, that would get me to do more things to explore the game. One thing Morrowind and Oblivion did was tell you the un written quests, so you can look for them.

I want information overload, if I use it or not. Eventually I will be looking at the stats. I wnat the option of them there.

I want all the map pages that says will be listed in the book, be actually in the book like the Oblivion Goty Game guide.

+1 to what Davor said. I enjoy reading the game guides as much as I enjoy playing the games. I look up stuff on the Wikis when needed but I prefer to have a physical copy in my hands to refer to. Guess I'm an old fart too.

guide books are more thourough and if your using the pc you can easily access the guide book while playing. But The guide book cost money so if you want to be economical don't buy the guide book.