ebook

Reader Veera brings up the interesting issue of what exactly is an "ebook".

A definition I found, and which I think sounds correct is: An electronic version of a traditional print book that can be read by using a personal computer and/or an eBook reader. An eBook reader may be a software program used on a personal computer or a portable reading device.

So yes, it is indeed a "softcopy", in the same sense that "email" is a softcopy version of real mail. For those not in the loop, look at this site: http://www.gutenberg.org/ "Project Gutenberg is the first and largest single collection of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today."

This should tell you why someone would find ebooks interesting - they can sometimes be obtained for free. Especially those older books whose copyright has run out and which are in the so-called public domain. If you want a print version of the book, you still have to pay for it; while the ebook can be free. The problem with ebooks is the device that you use to read them on, it does get a bit irritating to keep scrolling on a notebook or on a PC. That said, I think there are ebook readers available that can do the scrolling automatically for you and will also format the contents to your liking. Adobe has an ebook reader, though I haven't used it. Then there are software that can actually read (vocalize) the book for you, but personally I think it sounds creepy.