Debates: VERSUS?
Technical Requirements
John: Because ebooks are software for electronic devices — not physical products — they impose a technical requirement on the consumer. He or she must be able to afford a device, often requiring a monthly paid data plan or at least the presence of an Internet connection. Operating systems and applications must be maintained, batteries must be recharged, and the devices themselves fail or become obsolete. In short, ebooks impose a technical requirement that is all but non-existent with print. (I'll admit: You do need a light source and basic literacy.) It's true that ebook technology is getting easier and more affordable, but print simply does not impose this type of post-sale burden.
John Parsons (john@intuideas.com), former Editorial Director of The Seybold Report, is an independent writer, ghostwriter, and editor. He is the co-author of the interactive printed textbook, Introduction to Graphic Communication, on the art, science and business of print, which has been adopted by Ryerson, Arizona State, the University of Houston, and many other schools and vocational training centers. Custom editions of the book are under consideration by major printing companies and franchises for internal training purposes.