You could already be an e-booker
August 9th, 2007 | 
Author: 
I think that when we talk about e-books in our daily conversations, we need to simplify the definition. I define e-books simply as digital text. It can be a book, but it can also be an article, an email, RSS feed, even a web page. When I approach someone about e-book technology their immediately reaction is that they could never read off a PC screen. But they do. Every morning they download their email and sit in front of their PC and read. I know no one that prints out all their emails then take them to read later during a break. I can’t think of anyone that has not read a pdf file on a computer. These same people sit for hours and read blogs, RSS feeds, and keep up with their friends on places like My Space, then complain that reading an e-book would be too much eye and neck strain. Unbelievable, since I have already heard them complain that being on the computer makes their eyes, back, and neck hurt. Another statement is that they need to feel and smell the paper when reading. I can understand that, but I have never heard a soldier complain that his wife’s email didn’t smell like perfume. He may not have been able to hold the paper, but he could enjoy her video message. Another complaint I hear is that the PC already isolates users from others since they must sit in one place. This is when I tell them that they are already reading digital text, why not move it to a portable screen and take it with them and leave the eye, back, and neck pain behind. Their answer is usually that nothing like that exists, but if it did, they’d be first in line to buy it. That’s when I hand them my e-book. I love it when I see the lights come on. See they were e-booker’s all along and just didn’t know it.
Posted in Miscellaneous
I must disagree just a little. As an eBook fanatic, I limit my definition of eBooks to the electronic equivalent of a paper book. While I suppose you could make online newsreading equivalent to an “eNewspaper”, and of course eMail is eMail.
I think it confuses things unhelpfully to suggest that reading anything on a computer is a form of eBook reading, just because reading something in a book format is different to me than other types of reading.
But it is an intriguing concept, and I appreciate your new blog! Keep pitching ’cause a lot of us are catching it.
@ NeoGnostic and LaughingVulcan,
I understand your concerns. I am not trying to mongrelize ebooks, nor is my definition meant to be the standard. What I am trying to do is cast out a wide net to reach those people who would never consider e-books. i think that for laymen terms, anything that is read in digital format is ereading. Once people realize this then transitioning to an e-book doesn’t sound so scary. Thanks for the comments and hope I didn’t raise your blood pressure that much!
Ellen
Ah, so it’s more like “You could already be an e-reader,” which can lead one to become an “e-booker.” That explains much, and makes perfect sense. Blood pressure was fine all along, but now I see what you’re driving at – and it does bridge the divide between us passionate folks and people who go, “Ebooks? Ewww…….”
Thanks for the clarification!
LV,
Sorry for the confusion. My only excuse is that I am new at this and sometimes I think everyone else but me has taken mindreading 101
Ellen
What in your opinion is the best self publishing software ( e-books )out there?
Charlie,
I use Book Designer. There is a tutorial over on the Mobileread forum. I haven’t read it though. I am not really picky about cleaning up the text, adding covers, etc. I should read it though. I think the application does a great job and has just about all the formats.
Ellen