Letters.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)

Mail Call: Print vs. e-Reading

Readers of our Nov. 26 story on Amazonas e-reader, the Kindle, had reservations about digital books. aOne objection is the lack of the ability to browse before I decide to buy; the other is the likelihood of advertising,a one said. But another noted, aSchool texts on a Kindle would revolutionize the lives of millions.a

When Books Go Digital

As an avid reader, I applaud the idea of being able to package multiple books in Amazonas small, user-friendly e-reader, the Kindle, but Iam not entirely convinced that the Kindle could atake me down the rabbit holea (aThe Future of Reading,a Nov. 26). However, as a high-school teacher, I think the Kindle could be the answer to a prayer for students, parents and staff. In the vast majority of schools there is a lack of money and storage space for adequate numbers of appropriate texts. Every day, students struggle to carry upwards of 50 pounds of books from home and around campus; many texts are lost, damaged or out of date. Imagine if students had all textbooks at their fingertips, and instant Internet capability to look up references. If school texts could be downloaded onto a Kindle, it would revolutionize the lives of millions.

Diana Matter

Alamogordo, New Mexico

One of my objections to electronic books is the lack of the ability to browse before I decide to buy. The other one is the likelihood of advertising. In South Africa, TV programs are interrupted every 10 minutes by as many as six to eight ads, yet we still have to pay license fees. Anything connected to electronic media like the Internet eventually ends up like this.