[ProfJulie]

I have a Cybook that I like quite a lot. As you know the Cybook handles DRM Mobipocket books very well. I have had some concerns about getting so fully vested in Mobipocket format, especially since they are owned by Amazon and I share some of your thoughts about how Amazon might handle Mobipocket in the future.

There is software - you can look through these forums to find it - that allows you to convert MSReader, Mobipocket & eReader books to a different format. Worse case scenario for me would be that Amazon makes it impossible for me to continue purchasing and reading Mobipocket books on my Cybook. If that happens, I'll just switch over to MSReader books and use this software to convert it to a format I can use on my Cybook. I don't like DRM and would prefer not to have to deal with circumventing it, but if it comes down to me being able to freely read books that I invested money in or being locked out of those books....well I'm glad for the tools that remove that concern for me.

I have book cases a plenty. About every 10 years I go through a painful purge of books. Now I am evaluating software that I can use to catalogue my books (paper & electronic) - creating a virtual book case, if you will. I am close to making my selection and am looking forward to getting all my books inventoried and organized in my new software. Some of this software provides a really beautiful user interface.

Right now, I feel a bit disoriented, because my eBook collection is not in any kind of format that I can view and reflect on. But I think it will be very gratifying to "see" all my books on my computer. And a nice benefit is that I will always know what books I have, what books I want to buy, the status of books I've lent out (well I don't lend books so much these days), and since a benefit of having an electronic catalogue is that I can carry it around on my pocket pc, I won't buy a book because I've forgotten that I already have it.