EBooks are electronic books that can be accessed as files on a computer when online. They contain all the components similar to other paper books, which are, author, story, illustrator, cover-art and publisher. EBooks exist in many formats and many genres, but there are two major formats used: ‘dnl’ and ‘exe’. ‘Exe’ extensions are normal windows executable documents that run on the computer when clicked. On the contrary, the ‘dnl’ format requires downloading of the document to be read. The format that an eBook uses helps in identifying the kind of file the book has been made from. Printed books are produced in texts, images, and on paper using ink.
Several factors differentiate the eBook from the print book, and some of the differences may make one more suitable as compared to the other. EBooks are flexible, as they can be manipulated more easily, as compared to print books. Print books and pdf's are referred to as immovable books. The print book cannot be altered in any way unless it is damaged physically (Miller and Pellen 94). The formats and framework of the print will always remain the same, however much one tries to alter with it. The layout of the work will remain the same, and the pages in the pdf work will correlate to the pages in the printed work.
An eBook is more flexible, as the reader can change font style and size; this also includes the general format in terms of spacing and margin layout. These changes affect the order of word-flow, page numbers and the page view. The size of the screen will determine the number of words appearing on the screen at a time. The book can be manipulated by the reader to the style that suits him or her. The font can also be adjusted according to the visual acuity of the reader.
Apart from the flexibility aspect of eBooks, they differ from print books in terms of features that can be produced in either book. The eBook has limited capability in what can be created when compared to printed books. Special creations in the print book may not be found in eBooks; the heavy designed borders in the print book can only be formatted to a simpler outline in the eBook text. These are because of the limited use of specific codes that can be created in the files, and if any other design is made using a different code, the reading devices may fail to display it. Other devices because of these limitations cannot support EBook reading.
There are several advantages of print book, such as being easier to read than a computer screen because they are standardized, they are portable and easier to handle, they can be stored on shelves with other books, and they are healthier for our bodies and mind. Another advantage is that they can be used by all people, including those that are non-computer literate, they are more environment and lastly they are easier to use. The reader is able to understand the flow and the intention of the writer in the printed book.
EBooks are affordable in terms of price because the printing cost is not included, and they can easily be accessed online free. However, the reader will incur some expenses in the acquisition of the device. EBooks take a minimal space in terms of storage compared to the print work that will end up filling the shelves. They can only be stored in a small handheld device, which saves a lot of space and one can back up online in case of anything happening to the book. The eBooks are convenient for travelling people, as they can be comfortably read while travelling (Tedd 28). It, therefore, allows an individual to have the whole library with them at any time, unlike the print book that can limit the quantity packaged because they are bulky. One can read as many books as possible because they are at hand and can be accessed at any time. They are also convenient for night reading since the reader’s device always has in-built lights.
The introduction and the current trend in education system require that students are trained and instructed for effective use of electronic texts. Depending on the location and format, the students can be directed to go to a specific website and get the required text. Using other tools, students can take notes electronically, gather citation data and organize the information. The online information can as well be stored for offline access. EBooks are of great importance and may be preferred in research work, as they can be skimmed quickly and one can easily get a particular page, passage or fact. On the other hand, the print book still coexist since they are preferred in an attentive and deep reading. Students mostly use them in schools because they enhance focus: keeping away all destructions resulting from computer use. It becomes boring and tedious when one keeps on reading long passages on computers, and this may make it harder to understand what you are reading. The print book is used even with the introduction of eBooks, as they can be read even in remote areas.
Works Cited
Miller, William and Rita Pellen. Adapting to E-books. New York: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Tedd, Lucy. Large, Digital Library: Principles and Practice in a Global Environment. Boston: Walter de Gruyter Publishers, 2005. Print.
