Tech Bytes

This whole electronic book delivery system that is currently being used by the publishing industry does not work. All it has done is applied a 'bricks and mortar' solution to electronic distribution. What is needed is a completely new system for delivering digital content. One that is designed with the power of the Internet and advancing computer technology in mind. Such as a subscription service that has have multiple electronic libraries distributed about the Internet. These need to be web accessed so that all the customer needs to do is to access a web enabled library from any intelligent device and then 'drag and drop' the desired book into their book reader or audio player and it should start to play in seconds. Whether that be a desktop, laptop, netbook or smart phone or even your wifi enabled car. The player manages everything, data storage, bookmarks, illustrations. No more CDs, no more long downloads, no more file management, content playable on any device.

For an example of such a service take a look at the Canadian site www.audiopod.ca.

This article by Ms. Chung is an excellent overview of ebooks. I would add that a new format, called "epub", is poised to end the format wars, and become the open standard.

Michael Pastore, author
50 Benefits of Ebooks

I am an avid reader and have in the last 3 years or so switched to reading ebooks almost exclusively. There are many reasons for this; cost, convenience of purchasing, and ease of transport. The ebooks I purchase are generally about $10 each. I live in a small, isolated community and can still purchase a book instantly. Most importantly however; I carry 137 books with me wherever I carry my laptop- you can't do that with the paper version!

I am today, listening to Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. This e-resource audio book is held by the Edmonton Public Library, checked out online as I sit at my desk, and downloaded to my hard drive this afternoon, free, as a right of my EPL library card. I'll listen at my leisure over the next couple weeks. This is wonderful, because I've got vision difficulties and can't read the way I used to. This particular book is read by actors. It's absolutely the literary and story equivalent of a hard copy book. (In fact it reminds me of CBC radio dramas of many years ago.)

I can't imagine where it wouldn't fit every requirement except perhaps, an honours English major writing on Lahiri's body of work.

It fulfills the needs of a demanding reader in every way, absolutely. I am an English major. This is a book.

And yet, so few people were upset with the anti-woman ads and YouTubes put out by Obama's supporters. Search YouTube for "Palin" to see what I mean.

Racism/bad. Anti-gay/bad. Misogyny not only ok'd by progressives, but encouraged as a righteous outlet for hate.

I've been a professional writer for nearly a quarter century--two films based on my books are currently in the works--and I see the rise of e-books, blogging and podcasting as the beginning of the end for the editors and agents who have been the gate-keepers of the literary arts for far too long. Under their watch, corporate publishing has reduced novels to the basic common denominators and destroyed the short story as a viable format. We get semi-literate drivel like Dan Brown and Stephanie Meyer and well-crafted offerings are simply cast aside in the rush to find the next "big book" that might earn said editor and agent a big bonus.

I'm publishing exclusively on the web, on my own site ("Beautiful Desolation")--I no longer submit to magazines or publishers and have a readership around the world that numbers in the tens of thousands. To hell with the old regime and its dingbat proprietors, the purveyors of "chick-lit" and fake memoirs--my readers and I are bypassing all of that and I've never produced better work...and never been happier...

Between Gilgamesh & Google, there are 4000 years of analog inertia to overcome. Unlike the relatively overnight transition from such analog media as the vinyl album or the VHS tape, it is convenience rather than improved quality that is the driver for e-books. It makes sense that the paradigm shift from the printed page to the digital page is being most strongly influenced by the rise of so-called "smartphones". It has taken 5 - 6 years for the public to embrace music on their cellphones, and as more and more users upgrade to iPhone-type devices with their large, bright displays and availability of e-book reader apps, we can expect to see the e-book market grow accordingly.

I love my paper books. I have thousands, and it comforts me just to look at and touch them. But I can foresee a day when to have a collection like mine will be seen as quaint and anachronistic. Looking back over the past three years, I've read 77 books - only a handful of which actually had pages that were once trees. My greatest hope is that, with the convenience of being able to carry scores of books around in one's pocket, perhaps more people will be inclined to read. In the words of Victor Hugo, "nothing can withstand the force of an idea whose time has come".

It's a wonder that while it's the simplest media (compared to the complex nature of digitized video and sound) it's the slowest to become accepted in this new format. A lot has to do with the aesthetic of reading from a traditional book; it is doubtful the phase "curl up with a good laptop" will ever enter the popular lexicon. The new eInk devices address this somewhat, but they are prohibitively expensive.

The idea of purchasing a $300USD device that will probably not last 5 years, to read an electronic file that costs as much as a paperback, seems like a foolish idea.
A paperback can be made from recycled material and can be recycled.
The electronic device will probably end up in a landfill.
If the authors and publishers would sell the files for, say, $.99, readable only on one machine, I might take an interest.

As I can't see that happening, I'll stick to my books, thanks.

E-books will, at last, free writers from the tyranny of moron editors and agents who are looking for the next "chick-lit" masterpiece or fake memoir. I've been an "indie" (independent) writer for more than two decades and the spread of the new technologies--blogging, podcasting, print on demand publishing--is the best thing to happen to authors since Johnny Gutenberg rolled out his first press.

I have a Sony ereader and was pretty disappointed when one of the books on Sony's site I wanted to buy was only available for US customers. I think at the moment I wasted my money and should have spent it on paper books.

I relish all improvements in the e-book industry. I live in a Greek village where the English-language books available are pretty well limited to "beach books" left by departing tourists. Moreover, regular books are often printed on paper containing cottonwood pulp, which make me cough and gasp for breath. I foresee the day when all the books I read must be e-books. Thank you Ms. Chung, for your excellent article.

I cant stand ebooks...hurts my eyes. Prefer a real book hands down

I cannot ever see going electronic for books for many reasons. It is unique that you could carry over 100 books in one device but what if it breaks down - it must have a battery or something so that could run down as well. And now companys can delete your books? Hard sell for me. I want to be able to read a book with paper and turn pages, put it on a shelf and know I can keep it forever or give it away. For those who read a book and discard it after reading the electronic device will work out for them but some of us really treasure books and reread them because they bring pleasure or value to us.

Give me the real book every time. In my hands it is mine to read ( no one can edit or delete it) and best of all.. NO electricity is needed to read. No power.. all I have to do is open and read, anywhere, anytime. AND my grandmother left me her favorite books of poetry, now my treasured books of poetry (I know my grandmothers hands have held those books as many times as mine.)
No e-books for me. How will I pass them on to my granddaughter.