What are the similarities and differences between physical and e-books? Find out in this essay sample on e-book vs print book advantages and disadvantages! Get some ideas and inspiration for your paper and learn more about e-book and paper book advantages and disadvantages.
E-book vs Print Book: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Introduction
Ever since e-books became a thing, there have been debates on their and paper books’ advantages and disadvantages. Some people believe that e-books will never replace paper ones. E-books are good, but they are gaining popularity at a very high rate which essentially translates to the death of printed publications. It is because having publications in digital format and available to the entire world at the click of a button means they can easily be freely and maliciously circulated over the internet. As such, the writers and publishers will not profit from their works because readers prefer to contact a hacker and get the free e-book rather than buy the more expensive printed text.
E-book Advantages & Paper Book Disadvantages
Some advantages of e-books over paper books include the fact that they are easy to read, mainly because of the various available functions such as zooming. The e-books are also easily portable using light devices such as compact disks and flash disks. It contrasts with paper books, which are more bulky, notably bigger volumes. E-books are also much easier to read than paper books because accessing a particular item in the publication is defined by the search function.
Paper Book Advantages and Disadvantages of E-books
Besides, paper books are more advantageous than e-books because they do not cause unnecessary eye strain. By contrast, e-books require the reader to constantly stare into bright screens, sometimes leading to tearing eyes due to the strain.
E-books also require the reader to have a specialized digital and battery/electricity-powered device to access the data. If one cannot access a power source, then he/she cannot read the book. Paper books do not have this constraint as they can be accessed at any time, provided the lighting conditions are favorable for reading. E-books are also prone to destruction by viruses and bugs compared to paper books which can easily be protected from damage.
With the demand for pirated e-books over 54% in the United States, authors are gradually losing out on earnings from their works. If not well taken care of, this problem will eventually lead to the de-motivation of writers and the decline of the publishing industry in general. E-books are primarily software functions that must be hosted on computers or sold as independent products that digital readers can access.
This presentation in forms can easily be transferred from one machine to another, making them more prone to the deeds of hackers and pirates. With the world gradually becoming a global village owing to the spread of internet connections, pirates can easily distribute cheaper versions of e-books by providing cracks to counter the need for access codes.
The security of e-books and their genuine marketing is the primary factor countering the development of this technology. In order to address this issue, the publishers must find a proper team of computer specialists to develop incorruptible ways of safeguarding the sanctity of their products.
It includes the development of difficult-to-crack security codes and one-time-use passwords for accessing e-books. The law-enforcement agencies should also ensure that they constantly monitor online activities in order to arrest criminal activities such as e-book pirating before they become widespread.
E Books vs Paper Books: Essay Conclusion
In conclusion, even with e-books gaining immense popularity, they face numerous serious challenges that have prevented them from being appreciated as a potential threat to paper books.