Quote:
Originally Posted by mr ploppy
I think the problem with ebooks is that unless the early version has been widely pirated, once the changes have been made that is the only version available. So any future historians will struggle to put them into context if they keep being updated. It will be even worse if it isn't the original writer doing the updating.
Whereas with real books, no matter what happens to them later there is always a permanant copy left behind. So if you wanted to read Enid Blyton with gollywogs instead of goblins, you could still do so.
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Wait, unless the original was widely circulated (bought or pirated), a re-print makes it hard to compare changes?
Again, how is that different from print runs? Lots of times there's a small print run, demand exceeds supply, and the second run changes things.
Heck, I'd say e-books are a BETTER assurance against this than print because (a) the "demand-exceeds-supply" shouldn't happen, meaning that the first run of an ebook can circulate without the limits of a short print run and (b) if they do change things between editions, people with the 1st edition are in a better position to circulate the changes because (c) text comparison tools and (d) instant copying of the book for interested parties.
I'm not seeing the SCARY E-BOOKS REWRITING HISTORY part that I keep hearing about over and over and over...
