E-BOOK VERSUS P-BOOK
The financial page of the New Yorker has played the role of bringing to the table a very interesting article by writer James Surowiecki. This particular article appeared on the 29th of July 2013. The article plays host to a very interesting argument on an emergent and indeed very contentious issue.
The article addresses the battle for supremacy between the new digital e book system and the traditional physical book system. According to the author the old traditional book seems to be doing well and holding its ground in the face of such new and more convenient information. The author refers to recent studies which have shown that despite the increase in the use of e books globally, book stores are still making profits as their product has barely lost its age old relevance. The author proceeds to argue that the rise in e book usage has led to relative scarcity of physical books which has led to an increase in their price thus the increase in profits associated with them.
The article further proceeds and claim that when it comes to serious and comprehensive reading, most people prefer actual physical books to e books. A claim is further made that while using e books most people tend to skip certain sections and even multiple lines at a time a phenomenon which is very rare when it comes to people using physical books. The general feeling and atmosphere generated by a physical book makes people more interested in reading and enhances their understanding of what they are reading as opposed to staring on a screen. Physical books are therefore still very relevant and doing very well in the face of competition from such an advanced and convenient competitor.
At first I thought the notion of physical books remaining relevant and even being preferred over e books was completely ridiculous. I thought the author was taking me for a ride but indeed he proved my first opinion very wrong. The author provides a very informative and research based argument on the relevance of physical books in today’s world where e books seem to be the in thing. I like the article especially how the author bases his arguments on factual data and tangible evidence and frames it in a very friendly an understandable way.
