With the rise of e-books comes the decline in paper books. Some people see this as a good step forward while others do not. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

Technology has grown so much that it has touched every aspect of our lives, including ways of reading habits. With the growth in availability and demand for
e-
books
, there has been a significant reduction in paper
books
. While some consider
this
a positive change, there are many others who do not agree with
this
. Through
this
essay, the advantages and disadvantages of
this
trend will be examined. There are primarily two main advantages of
e-
books
.
First
and foremost, with the popularity that
e-
books
have received, there has been a drastic reduction in deforestation. The need for cutting down trees to make paper has come down.
Secondly
, it has become easy to carry and store thousands of
books
. The entire content in a library can now be held in the palm of your hand and can be accessed from anywhere at any time you so desire.
For instance
, if you are out in the wilderness on a camping trip or trekking, you no longer need to carry the weight of
books
in your backpack. You can take as many
books
you would like to read on your smartphone or Amazon Kindle.
Therefore
, based on the impact it made on deforestation as well as ease of access and transportability, it is clear that the upsurge of digital
books
is quite advantageous. While
on the other hand
, there are a few notable disadvantages for electronic
books
compared to their paper-based counterparts.
E-
books
require a digital platform or device where they can be opened,
thus
, unless you have a smartphone or similar equipment with you, it is not possible for anyone to open and read them. Apart from that, since these media are digital, piracy has
also
risen. People who do not spend money or is unable to, tend to download them from illegal sites.
For instance
, a recent survey shows that there's been an increase in e-book piracy in
third
world countries.
Hence
, considering people having an electronic device with them at all times and the fact that people illegally download them, it is safe to say that
e-
books
have their disadvantages. In conclusion, while the upside of
e-
books
is environmental conservation and easy access, the requirement of an electronic device and piracy can be said as its downside.
Submitted by anoopebby on

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • Convenience
  • Portability
  • Accessibility
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Environmental conservation
  • Tactile experience
  • Aesthetic appeal
  • Digital fatigue
  • Prolonged screen time
  • Technical issues
  • Independent bookstores
  • Piracy issues
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