E-books could be a blessing (says HarperCoolinsCanada)

[Colin Dunstan]

Unlike Nigel Newton, CE of Bloomsburry whom we reported on earlier today, David Kent, President and CEO of HarperCollinsCanada, gets it right: "The introduction of electronic books could be a blessing," he is quoted in a student newspaper of Lehigh University (Kent is an Lehigh alumnus). The blessing is, according to Kent, that in digital format, books can be delivered to any place in the world and brought by customers at any time they want.

There are other powerful statements in favor of e-books made in this story:

• trend toward electronic books could lead to an increase in reading;
• there will be a huge upheaval of how to attain information;
• "the great democratization of literature" (books for underdeveloped countries);
• less space would be needed;
• print your own books; eliminating the "elitist dynamic" associated with book publishing;
• e-books will not have a negative effect on writers;
• number of paper books will remain same ("We have plastic, but we still like wood" - love that analogy!)

Nigel Newton, is it possible that you went to the wrong school? Or perhaps Kent has been the smarter student (even at the age of 73!).

[Bob Russell]

What about the simple bottom line that everyone seems to have forgotten completely... good for the average consumer.

But I'll give him credit because he basically did say it's good for the world.

Unfortunately, almost every discussion these days from "authorities" is so focused on the business and profit side of things that they can't see the forest for the trees. The publishing industry is just as selfish as the recording and movie industries (in broad terms, but there are surely exceptions). It's all about power and money and they want it all. But let's not forget to balance it with the good of all!