Winfield Hill said:
I agree. Someone who's willing to struggle for years reading off
his computer screen probably isn't a lost sale, because he never
would have bought the book anyway. Alternately, someone who gets
an electronic copy and finds it useful might purchase a bound copy
some time later he'd not have otherwise made. Someday, when we get
the direct computer-brain connection, this may no longer be true.
I personally have a scanned copy of my printed AOE.
The laptop I usually read books on is a fair bit lighter than AOE, as
well as being able to do many other things.
Hell, the complete hardcase for the laptop is only about the size of
2 AOE stacked.
The laptop is nice and small, and easier to hold in one hand than a
book. Plus it can be easily propped up at a right angle in bed.
No, sunlight readability isn't as good.
Neither is it when I have no access to ~10W of electricity.
But. I haven't dug out my printed copy in some time.
Small, light laptops, with maybe 10" screens are quite convenient to
read from.
The latest 43.2 Ghz monster with a 21" screen isn't.
Unfortunately, 99% of new laptops are mostly unsuitable - they are just
not hand-holdable.
As to your other point.
I 'steal' books regularly by downloading the ebooks groups.
This is so I have a library to use when I can't get to the net or
ordinary bookstores.
If I read a book from this, I buy it on paper/ebook, or if I can't get
hold of it, something from the same author.
I'd guess this has perhaps doubled my spending on books, as previously
I'd have been much less likely to take a chance on a new author that I
may find unreadable 20 pages in.
