There are some variables that haven't been considered in this interesting discussion.
eReaders have caused a blip in statistics. Many were given as gifts last month (I personally have recommended and 'sold' five), thus increasing potential awareness of eBook availability. On the other hand, many of us (myself included) have temporarily backed off of buying new texts in favor of reading classics that are now free. This will cause, perhaps, a lag in both eBook and pBook sales into 2011 from new eReader owners.
Demographics - in the U.S. and I suspect elsewhere, "baby boomers" are reaching retirement in huge numbers. More leisure time means more reading for many of us as a larger segment of the population from the pre-computer era turns to literature. As eyesight deterioration is offset by adjustable font sizes in eReaders, many of us are able to keep reading what we like and not rely on oversized print volumes from public libraries.
Online book lists should become more prevalent and serious readers will find reliable sources of recommended reading. I currently follow a few friends on Goodreads -- people I know and whose tastes I respect. Such independent lists are hard for spammers to crack effectively with bogus praise for a new author. On the other hand, such sites are mainly geared toward popular pBooks at this time, and users are not always able to get new e-Indie works entered and listed that they have read. Most review lists do indicate the number of responses, although popular tastes are not always mine. Extremely large lists such as Amazon can be statistically reliable, however.
Good thread!
