Debates: VERSUS?
Remember, all recent books are "born digital." In the vast majority of cases, they are written on computers. Their content is organized and structured using industry standard applications and formats — whether the author knows it or not. They are often designed and produced offshore, using editing and design software, rather than by designers and typesetting craftsmen working in the U.S. Increasingly, these books are being manufactured on demand, using digital presses (print) or highly automated file conversion (ebook). Frequently the print and digital versions of a specific title are produced using the very same content files. Millions of older books have been digitized from scans or PDF archives.
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.