That’s when I started looking in to ebooks. First of all, I
thought you’d have to have a Kindle, ipad or some other fancy device to take
advantage of the ebook revolution. Wrong. Many ebooks are just a PDF version of
the book and can be enjoyed on virtually any computing platform (even your
smart phone).
Ebooks are pretty much identical to the printed version. However, some ebooks are interactive, embedding
video and other links to related info (something you can’t do in print). A few
ebooks are even text to speech compatible.
Another nice thing about these electronic formatted books is
that they are delivered right to your email inbox. Find a desired ebook on the
internet. Click – and within minutes you’ve got a copy. Instant
gratification!!!
Oh – and here’s the kicker. Ebooks can be a HE#@ of a lot
cheaper than printed books.
Like most purchases, you do have to exercise a little caution when shopping for an ebook. For example…
- What platform is the ebook formatted for. Computer, ipad, Kindle, etc. (Probably if you have a Kindle or Nook you already know this stuff). Typically PDF formatted ebooks don’t work with Kindle/Nook.
- Does the ebook have flowing text or are the pages scanned? Flowing text is easier to deal with but not a deal-breaker as far as I’m concerned. Anyone that’s ever read a PDF document knows what to expect.
- Is the ebook recommended for large/small screen devices? I can’t easily read small print anymore so if it ain’t large screen (i.e. my computer) it’s not for me.
One final cautionary note...
The internet is a source of raw, unedited information. Kind of like the wild west of publishing. Reader beware. The ebook revolution has opened the door to many independent authors that would otherwise never get a book to press. Also - there are several ebook “publishers” (i.e. Amazon, Adobe, etc.) that have made the preparation, sales and distribution of ebooks accessible to any hack that thinks he can string 2 sentences together in to a coherent thought!
Does that mean a Galveston Gardening ebook is in the works? Will keep you posted.
