> Following the same pattern as cell phones. Out of necessity, the > developing countries will embrace the eBook technology faster than >the developed countries... > > http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/10/17/negroponte.ebooks/index.html?h > pt=T2 > > http://tinyurl.com/2g3va47
I was initially scandalized by this prediction. However, the more I thought about the ramifications I realized that from an artistic POV it could be advantageous for many authors & illustrators. Printed books will never go away totally. It simply means that vast majority of transitory "pulp" publications books, editions that have limited shelf life, and read-once-and-throw-away-novels will no longer be printed in physical paper format. Makes no economic sense to do so anyway. What could shake out in the aftermath of this process might be a rebirth, a thriving market for hand-made special editions like, art books. They could take the form of small limited edition print runs, or even one-of-a-kind works of art. Such creations won't come cheap. And there will be customers who will pay for them. Certainly, writers/illustrators would find it in their best interest to continue producing popular low-cost electronic editions for readers like the Kindle, iPad, and successive progeny. The same writers and illustrators could however also manually produce unique one-of-a-kind editions, commissioned by the rich and famous who are willing to pay for the privilege of possessing in their hands an original manually produced physical copy. I'd like to order mine in a scroll, please! ;-) Regards Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
