Getting a Good Read on E-Books

Generations of children who were once reprimanded for slouching too close to the TV now spend their grown-up days an eyelash-width from their computer screens.

We get our international newspapers off the Web and spend our days scrolling through emailed missives. Once again, people's need to find nonproductive things to do at the office drives us to overcome adversity, in this case the bright lights and fuzzy print of computer reading. Now that we've overcome our initial displeasure with scrolling and reading from screens, why not take the next step and get our books electronically?

E-books don't deserve the brushoff. Paper books provide the ultimate in convenience and portability, but e-books have their time and place. It doesn't make sense to buy a bulky, dedicated e-book reader device. But if you're a person who lives by the laptop or who is addicted to your Palm (PALM Quote)-based PDA, e-books can help you while away the time. The software and books are easy to download and install, but you'll just have to be prepared to adapt to even more scrolling and clicking than usual. ...