Ideas page

Electronic books (13/8/2002). e-Books seem to have arrived and are growing in popularity slowly. I cannot wait until I have the option of getting ALL books in paper and electronic format (no more out of print worries). My bookshelves groan under the weight of all my books, and invariably the book I want is not where I am. If I had it in electronic form then I could easily take it everywhere with me. Certainly electronic publication is cheaper than print on paper, it could easily be downloadable, but better still available on CD or DVD as well. The texts could easily be made searchable. Ah, I hear people say, but I prefer reading on paper rather than screen. I'm affraid I have to agree here, the reflective properties of paper over the projected screen image is normally preferable, but this will change and improve - e-Ink is under development. Another issue of screen reading versus paper reading is addressed in another idea (Reading Electronic Documents).