Ebooks were initially intended as electronic resources for a limited groups of individuals with common interests in a specific area. They quickly evolved over the last three decades and now the term ‘ebook’ is commonly used to refer to an electronic equivalent to a physical, printed copy of a text.

Ebooks are now available to purchase online, though many older texts which are out of copyright are available for free. Most major new fiction and non-fiction titles are reproduced as ebooks to be read on various formats. There has been some heated debate over the merits and flaws of ebooks, so for the uninitiated here is an outline of the major points.

Advantages of Ebooks

Ebooks are predominantly received via the internet. As such it is possible to download and use an Ebook immediately and even download them to a mobile device when you are away from home. As such they are infinitely more convenient to browse and use than printed books which must be purchased from a shop. The production of Ebooks also has a significantly lower environmental impact when compared to the production of printed books.

One of the biggest benefits of Ebooks is that there are in excess of 2 million free books available to download, with that number increasing every day. This generally applies to works which are no longer in copyright and so many of the most revered works of literature are available for free. In addition you can also use an Ebook reader to store thousands of individual volumes for pleasure or reference. Most Ebook readers weigh less than a single printed volume and as such travelling with an Ebook reader is considerably more convenient. You can also back up Ebooks to additional devices so that your collection is preserved.

Because of the malleable format of Ebooks you can change the font size and format to suit the circumstances and your own preferences. If you have poor eyesight you will no longer need to purchase large print versions of books as any Ebook can be easily increased to fill the reader’s screen and fit your needs.
If you have many books in your ebook collection you will also be able to quickly cross reference separate texts or search for specific quotes or chapters virtually instantaneously. Ebooks also allow you to highlight and annotate the text without permanently marking it, making them even more ideal as study aids.

Disadvantages of Ebooks

Ebooks require some kind of electronic device to read them. You can usually read them on a computer screen, but to be competitive with the portability of books there are several Ebook readers available. These are essentially devices fitted with screens and an internal memory which can display the text of an ebook and be used and held like a regular printed book.
Of course to use ebooks you may need to purchase additional hardware, such as an ebook reader and download new software. You will also need a computer and some basic IT skills to make the most of the system.

Like any electronic system Ebook readers and downloading ebooks requires the expenditure of electricity. Ebook readers will require some form of power source, usually rechargeable batteries and as such it is possible to run these down over a long period of usage.

Ebook readers and ebook software itself can become damaged and corrupted, so it is possible to incapacitate your reader and be unable to access the books you have purchased. This is at odds with the relative durability of paper publications which can be kept for years and remain usable.
Ebook readers are also produced using components which could be potentially hazardous to the environment, unlike paper which is of course biodegradable.

For reading enthusiasts the biggest issue with Ebooks is that reading them still does not offer the same tactile and aesthetic pleasure as reading a physical printed book.
Ebooks cannot recreate the binding and smells of a new book, nor can they recreate the tactile feel of paper in your hands.
Some current Ebooks actually have resolutions which are lower than that of printed works. This has resulted in many complaining of eyestrain induced by Ebook readers.

One criticism which directly contravenes the positive claims of ebooks relates to their ability to store masses of information. The argument goes that no one will ever use the vast storage capacity of an ebook reader to read hundreds of volumes over a short space of time. As such the supposed convenience that ebooks offer becomes irrelevant.

Conclusion

The list of Ebook pros and cons could go on forever. What it is important to realise is that Ebooks are here to stay and that rather than competing with traditional printed books they will eventually coexist in harmony. The written word will continue to flourish and as technology evolves Ebooks and the software behind them will become more familiar.