Print Book Publishing VS E-Book Publishing

According to Wikipedia that modern paper and printing technology first originated in China during 105 AD. People have been reading from print since then. Till now, technology has become so much advance that we can read from an electronic device now.

In a sense, the two formats are very similar. Both allow people to read. The change of medium does not guarantee people's understanding on the subject read. It just the experience and touch of medium are changed depending on the type of medium you like.

There are good and bad about print book and E-book. Here are the comparisons:



Advantages of Print Book

• They can be easily obtained because bookstore and newsstand are everywhere.
• They are portable.
• Wide distribution of the author's book.
• They are good for display during promoting and marketing campaign.
• Full copyright protection.
• They are cheap.

Disadvantages of Print Book

• They are bulky and heavy if carrying more than 2 or 3.
• People need a light source to read them.
• They can be dirtied easily.
• Short shelf life.

Advantages of E-book

• They are readable because most of the E-readers offer zoom function, lettering resizing etc.
• They are portable because multiple books can be carried in one device.
• They are much environmental friendly because no tree will be harmed.
• They have no lighting problem because E-reader incorporates with display lighting.
• They are available 24/7 in most cases.
• Author's book can be published anytime rather wait for publisher's approval.

Disadvantages of E-book

• They will cause eye strain because spending long time in front of a computer is bad for health.
• They need power supply in order can be read.
• They may be portable however book is much lighter compare to a laptop or E-reader.
• E-reader is expensive than a book.

Personally, I still prefer to read from print book than E-book. You can say I am a 'traditional' person but by touching the paper make it feels more real. Time will tell whether E-book is an alternative for print book.


Image Source: (1) Amazon
                        (2) Elizabeth Gilbert

Article Source: Ebooks versus Paper Bbooks: The pros and cons