eBooks

I was an early adopter of the Rocket eBook back in 2000. Since then, I've been interested in the case of ebooks from an innovation viewpoint. I use it frequently in my courses as a real-life example to explain many of the basic concepts in diffusion, change, socio-technology coupling, sustainability, intellectual property, etc. Students tend to adopt very clear attitudes about ebooks: they easily dismiss their potential based on their initial commercial failure, or they are enthusiastic about their future in transforming a centuries-old field. I'm usually somewhere in between the extremes, as I think there are compelling arguments on each side. I love books and I love change, so I'm very much interested in following how this process develops.

Steve Portigal has done some extensive work on ebooks. Worth checking out, although it is clear that the final word will be the users' in due time. If and when ebooks become mainstream, don't forget that they first appeared as a complete product in the market back in 1999. Just to warn those who may call them 'new'...