These days, influence of e-books by digital devices has been discussed in Japan. After release of iPad, the motivation of textbook was booming in consumer electronics industries. Merit and demerit are often discussed on twitter.
Discussion of e-book seems not to be booming in US. From my point of view, students or teachers in USA do not have any resistence for using electric textbooks and dictionaries. If you were in Japan, some teachers or professors strictly ban to use them because of their faith. On the other hand, the number of people who enjoy reading by Kindle is increasing. Electric dictionary become a basic tool for everyone.
Of course, I do not look down paper. Basically I prefer to use paper when I think something. If you do not care the amount of paper which you have to deal with after reading, peper is basically user-friendly media. I subsucibe weekly news magazine and I read paper thoughtI can read the same articles online. In addition, I prepare a notebook which I write down what I think. However, information provided as e-books has a lot of merits. It is light, easy to find information. In addition, most of merits of paper can be reproduced by e-books.
Protestant to e-books does not come from consideration of merits of paper. E-book is about to change business worldwide. E-book may profitable to writers and consumer electronics industries. On the other hand, it must be a threat to publishing companies and book strore especially in suberb area. The strong resistance to e-book must be affected by profits of society.
Society will choose best types of marchandice. Paper books must remain in some situations. However, that must diappear at some situations or be close to extinction. If you do not consider the merit and demerit, choice is not the matter of discussion. No body cannot force certain types of media.
