Electronic vs. Printed Books?

New to the world of electronic gadgets are electronic books, or ebooks. Many people wonder if the traditional book will go away and be replaced by an electronic version. Some don’t really understand the differences between traditional reading material and electronic reading material.

  

Advantages to Traditional Books

  • Books can be read anywhere and do not need power, for a computer, to read them. Another advantage is that people already know what to do with a book and how to read it. Readers know how to mark the page they are reading, how to take notes and where to find or buy them. No tech manuals are needed. Furthermore, many people simply enjoy the feeling of turning the page and holding a book in their hands.

Advantages to Ebooks

  • Ebooks have many advantages over traditional books. One advantage is that you can access ebooks as long as you have access to the Internet, from virtually anywhere. Another advantage is that ebooks can be cheaper than traditional books. Finally, electronic books offer customization. Readers can change the font size, type and color, making the book different for each reader.

Disadvantages to Traditional Books

  • Traditional books do have disadvantages. One is you either have to go to the bookstore to buy the book or to the local library to check out a book. Another disadvantage is if you need to move several books, it can be a heavy-duty chore. Finally, they generally cost more than ebooks.

Disadvantages to Ebooks

  • Ebooks have many disadvantages. Ebooks require that you have some type of device to read the book. Many individuals don’t have the money for a handheld or other device. Ebooks are relatively new, and many people still don’t trust them or are intimidated by the gadgetry. Finally, the quality of the screens for reading is still not as good as the traditional printed page.

And the winner is …

  • In this debate over traditional books vs. ebooks, there is no real winner. Ebooks are still too new to the market to say that they are superior to traditional books. Ebooks do have a lot of advantages over traditional books, but in no way are traditional books a thing of the past. There is a place for both ebooks and traditional books in the market as much of this debate comes down to personal preferences.