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Originally Posted by rhadin
I think Franzen has a valid point and that it is being missed. eBooks are subject to constant revision, and ultimately to revision by someone other than the author, whereas once a book is printed to paper, that version of the book remains -- there is a permanence to it that ebooks may not emulate.
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I completely agree. When I look at an e-book file, I don't know what some overzealous person might have changed. E.g., when I download a book from the MR library, I can't tell what grammar, punctuation, or spelling might have changed. I can't tell if the uploader might have used a euphemism for an objectionable word. I have no reference point unless there is a printed copy of the book to refer to. If we reach a point when there is no printed copy, where are we? The digital file can be constantly in flux.
It's the same as a Web page that can be endlessly edited and updated.
People here have sometimes mentioned how they "correct" the e-books they buy--they "fix" the punctuation and the spelling to their liking. I find it extremely unsettling.
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I'm not one who dislikes ebooks (obviously, or I wouldn't be participating here or own a couple of reading devices), but I distinguish between two categories of books: (1) those that I want "permanently" and as written and (2) those that once read are disposable. For me, the former category is made up of the hardcover books I buy whereas the latter category is made up of the ebooks that I buy.
Having said that, I also need to note that on an increasing number of occasions, I am buying both the hardcover and the ebook versions of a book. The hardcover version becomes a permanent part of my library and is the reference version I refer to; the ebook provides me with the means to read the book conveniently.
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For me, e-books are a compromise--I would much rather have "real" books, but space considerations limit the number I can own. I have not double-purchased any new books, but I have retained in my library many hardcovers that I have also bought as e-books.
I am currently reading an old favorite in hardcover that I also bought as an e-book. It just feels like the right way to re-experience the book. And I don't have to worry that someone inadvertently or deliberately changed the text.