Pages

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Ebooks








NORMALLY, THERE ARE advantages and disadvantages to most everything created, developed or produced. I hope to provide, in this blog some realized advantages and disadvantages of digital products.

Electronic publications arrived with new technologies, thereby creating different forms and methods in accessing information.

I believe some Advantages to electronic publishing, also called e-books, are the ability to access (almost instantly) fast and high quality (hopefully quality) information.


The Internet and websites, Ebay and Paypal make it very easy to digitally deliver ebooks and software. A variety of products can be offered for download for immediate and quick access to content.

In e-publishing and ebooks, information content is produced and stored electronically rather than in print. Electronic publications and the storage of this voluminous amount of information is very minimal in comparison to the mountains of printed paper pages. Additionally, search and copying possibilities are of much greater benefit to readers and researchers including the ability to access information in electronic archives.


Most traditional newspapers and magazines today publish in an electronic form on the Web where access is typically "free" or available through a free membership. This also is at a great cost savings to the publisher as well as the readers. Traditionally, the advertisers still foot the bill.







More Specifically .. Some Advantages of Ebook and E-Publishing



Ø (Electronic publishing) - has important cost savings advantages, compared with printed publishing. The cost of publishing electronic Ebooks is virtually none, when compared to printed books. Once you have the tools, creating an unlimited number of e-books costs nothing.

Ø It is much easier - it is quite easy to learn to electronically publish your own digital product.

Ø Ebook and E-publishing equipment - to create and to read can be obtained without difficulties. Most business and homes have computers easily available.

Ø Much faster to publish - it can take months to publish paper books. Ebooks can be published electronically in days or even hours. Writers of e-books have total control over his/her work. Most anyone can be publisher, distributor and e-bookshop owner simultaneously.

Ø Additions to content - can be publish directly to most of the material with low overhead and does not require creating a new book.

Ø It can use multimedia and varying format options - an electronic book or e-journal, music, graphics, animation, audio and interactive clickable features can be placed on cd-roms and dvd or even email.

Ø Downloadable formats for hand readers, computers and various devices are easily obtained.

Ø Clickable instant access to 'table of contents', bookmarking and link capabilities to a myriad of additional content, resources, etc. allows virtually limitless sources and knowledgebases.

Ø
Easily available internationally - electronic editions can be accessed from any part of the world and read from any computer connected to the Internet. The e-book is available around the world as soon as the content is uploaded or access is available on the Internet.

Ø There are no delivery costs: no mailing, no postage, no handling, no printing costs, etc. The publishing of digital content within an informational e-world is virtual.. until you actually receive the product to your own environment such as PC and or uploading to your own site, etc. Therefore, when viewing what appears to be the eBook Cover of a digital product, in reality is simply a Virtual E-Cover.





Disadvantages and Limitations of e-publishing




Ø Some consumer reluctance to read online - However, the popularity of e-books, digital publications, e-zines and e-journals, text messaging, etc. continues to grow steadily and rapidly.


Regardless of age, gender or experience, some find it more difficult to read from a screen than from paper. Some computer users, feel more comfortable with a physical copy of what is stored in a computer.

As newer technology and hand-held readers are available more people are purchasing ebooks and reading e-published information.

Ø Consideration to size, graphics and volume - A very lengthy manuscript, or reference content requires separation of sections and or pages with links or bookmarking for access. Graphics and special fonts require large file sizes. However, the advent of greater capacities of storage in smaller devices and components in addition to faster processing is virtually eliminating this disadvantage.

Ø Many forget or neglect to register with ISSN for recording and tracking capabilities including the acknowledged publication.

Ø Interoperability at this stage - Various formats requiring different software and or devices are utilized. However, Microsoft and Adobe along with many other developers are working on software and equipment solutions. Some ebooks are still not in PDF format.

Ø eBook Security Measures - Depending on your specific ebook requirements, most ebook publishing software provides optimal security protection from copying, screen shots, printing, expiry and more. Additional security protection can be purchased at an additional cost.

Comparatively, a printed book can be copied and re-distributed just as easy. Plagiarism is an on going issue amongst recording studios, publishers, videos and manufacturers. It is no different than most events in life where we all experience those that are less considerate of others ownership to property of all types. Fortunately, the majority of people are honest and above thievery. Unfortunately, there are still some who abuse their privileges. From a users' point of view non-printable ebooks can be a disadvantage.


In conclusion

The rapid development of the World Wide Web and all its information is vast and with this rapid expansion of web resources some issues in accessing all of this content becomes a consideration.

One of the very most important issues is 'How can a person read and continue to find at a later date all the information originally accessed and made available?

Bookmarking the links in a web browser to online content is the most common answer. However, many of us have our favorites with links that we will never ever access or even remember we have.

A beneficial alternative to accessing information is eBooks. When either downloaded for free or from a purchase the ebook file can easily be categorized and within the electronic published software a keyword search can also be at your immediate display.

You can learn more abut the creation of Digital Products through my websites and products.

B. Robert