PROS AND CONS OF eBOOKS

eBooks are taking over the world of reading. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
A book is no longer just a stack of papers bound together. More and more people are reading electronic books, or eBooks. Some are PDFs. Some are on Kindle. Some come in various other formats.

There are pros and cons of eBooks replacing paper books.
Adapted from Always Write
10 pros of eBooks

No trees die! eBooks are not made out of dead trees. This is good for the environment in several ways:

eBooks don’t end up as landfill waste.
Trees are the lungs of the earth, so saving them is a good thing.
It takes more energy to manufacture and ship a paper book than to download an eBook.
eBooks are searchable. If you don’t remember who some person in the book is because you read the first chapter three weeks ago, just search for the name to refresh your memory.
eBooks are portable. You can carry several books with you, without having to make an effort, without even having to think about it. They are there with you on your device. An entire library at your fingertips!
You can read eBooks in the dark. For some people, this is a huge advantage. You can read them in bed without having to get up to turn off the light. No more flashlight under the blanket.
You can change font size. This might not be the biggest advantage to eBooks, but if you have weak eyes or if you are tired, it’s nice to be able to increase the size of the text.
In some cases, you can annotate eBooks. This is another advantage with limited appeal. Nevertheless, it is an advantage for some people.
You can follow links. When an author includes links in an eBook, you have the whole world at your fingertips. It’s nice to be able to easily find clarifications or further details.
Instant download. When you need a new book, you just get one. You can do it in the bath or in your pajamas.
eBooks cost less. Without manufacturing and shipping, the environment is not the only green you save.
Video and audio. One big advantage that has yet to really take hold is downloading audio and video. Multimedia books could just be the wave of the future, and audio books are wonderful options for people who spend a lot of time on the road.
8 cons of eBooks
You have to stare at a screen. For those of who stare at a screen all day for work, this is a huge disadvantage. Eye strain, from staring at screens too long, has become quite a health problem.
You don’t get “book satisfaction”. There is something people like about turning pages. In a few years, this will disappear as a disadvantage, as more and more people grow up with eBooks.
You can lose your files. If you forget to back up your files and you lose or delete by accident. This is a pretty weak disadvantage, because you can always get a new copy. Besides, you can also lose paper books.
eBooks are harder to read in sunlight. The glare of the sun makes a screen hard to read. Paper is still better at the beach.
You need a device. This is still a disadvantage for a lot of people on the Earth.
You need batteries. Even if you have a device, you have it only when the batteries are charged. Paper books don’t run out of batteries.
eBooks are not forever. We find cave drawings from ancient times, and we can understand their meanings. But how will future historians understand the bits and bytes that are not calibrated for whatever communications tools they have in the year 6852?
Licensing can be a pain. Digital files can be controlled. Paper books can be passed on to a friend, or bought and sold on the used books market. Licensing can end all that.
Can you think of any more pros and cons of eBooks?

About the Author