Audience
Modern people got used to the information technologies and the devices related to them; they cannot imagine their life without using innovative gadgets. The use of innovative technologies has become so essential that many people want to apply those in every part of their life. The appearance of the e-books has been inevitable; it was just the question of time when they were going to appear.
Trying to identify the audience and the consumer of digital books, it is important to state that their usage should not be divided from the Internet as those who use the Internet are sure to read books online. Thus, according to the research of 2002 90% of people aged between 5 and 17 use the Internet (McAllister, McAllister and Vivian 1). Still, dynamics directed at the rise of the number of Internet users and the widening of age phrase impress.
It is impossible to state the definite frames which may identify the age of those who use the Internet and e-books as almost all people do it now. These people have the power to solve some of the problems connected to the use of digital books.
Moreover, the lawmakers, school board and the organizations involved in the IT business have an opportunity to participate in the procedure directed at solving the problems connected with e-books which are going to be discussed further.
Problem Statement With Cause
Having considered the influence of the e-books on published editions, several problems have been identified. Some of the problems impact both spheres in general, others affect digital books sphere in particular. Having many advantages, e-books have created the problem with motivating publishers to write new books.
Digital books can be easily copied from different carriers and given to the wide range of people that reduce the earnings of writers and publishing centers. This issue may influence both printed and digital books, as the writers may refuse to create something new as they are not expected to get the profit they have always counted on. People can face the problem of absence the up-to-date books.
Hackers may get free access to any book in the digital version that violates the private and intellectual protection laws. Why should one buy a book if he/she can use different programs, crackers, etc. for getting access to it? This problem can also cause the writers’ and publishers’ dissatisfaction.
If the problem is not solved, t can cause the decision to restrict the digitalization of the books and do not allow using e-books under the law of protecting intellectual property. Those who do not have an opportunity to read published books may suffer. For example, such restriction may influence people with poor eyesight, as the e-books offer zoom option which is valued by them highly.
Using e-books people harm their health using unnecessary eye strain. Constant staring into the bright screen is unhealthy and may lead to serious sight disorders. Furthermore, e-books may be available only when the power/battery can be reached. No specific digital device can work without power. A person cannot read a book while traveling to the places where electricity is a luxury.
Viruses and bugs are also dangerous for devices where e-books are kept. Having downloaded a book, a person may have serious problems if a file contains a virus. The Antivirus companies may fail to offer updated information before the virus has appeared on the web. One more problem which should be considered is the cataloging of e-books.
Even though the ISBN has been created as one of the ways to identify the books (all matters, in this case, the title, the author, the publisher and the date of publishing), many books do not have ISBN numbers that make it difficult to find the necessary book within a vendor online (Wu and Mitchell 169). The wrong publication may be bought, or the book cannot be even found if the appropriate cataloging of online books is not invented.
Solution – Think Big, Offer Small
Having considered the problems connected with e-books and the audience which is influenced and have a specific power to solve those problems, it is possible to offer the following solutions. In facts, there are three great problems, motivation for writing new books, online problems, and health harm. To solve those global problems, it is necessary to act in a range of steps.
Thus, thinking about the main goal different participants of the problem-solving problem should provide small actions which they can do without much money and be effective. To solve the motivation problem as a whole and consider several smaller problems which appear to the reasons for it, it is possible to offer the following issues. Social ads should be implemented in society.
The main idea of this advertising campaign should be directed at the awareness of personal and social responsibility. The ads should highlight the problem and show the consequences if the actions are not taken. People should be encouraged to pay for the services they get. The e-book is a service. Those who buy books cannot be satisfied with touching them, but they still get the service as they are enjoyed with reading it.
Can you imagine a haircutter who does not get paid for his services or the actors who entertain people for free? The same is with e-books. People should understand that they are to pay for reading books and social advertising campaign may be a good beginning. Social organizations and school board should support the idea of book purchase.
Moreover, there is an idea to create the software which does not copy the book while transmitting it to another device but removes it from the previous one. This will give an opportunity to share the book with friends like a printed version but in a digital format. Understanding the nature of the motivational problem, their roots can be easily seen in online threats.
I have identified several online threats, and each of them can be considered, and the first steps can be made at once. Therefore, to solve the problems connected to online threats, IT professionals should be enabled. First of all, to prevent the opportunity to copy a book and transmit it to other people, it is important to create the programs which limit the number of transmissions.
Thus, buying an e-book a person should have an opportunity to transmit it to different reading devices (either with the help of a password or with the help of memory) by a limited number of times. The problem of cracks, viruses, and hackers’ attacks should be regulated by law. Specific laws have already been created, and they protect intellectual property on the Internet.
But, the regulation should be supported with specific actions. A lot of different departments in the country should be created which should be responsible for catching hackers and those who attempt to steal a password. Their people should bare criminal and financial responsibility for their actions. The work of the antivirus companies should be well built.
Living in the world when information security is in the first place, such companies should take care of on-time delivery of the update to the product consumer. People pay money, and they should get what they pay for. The problem with sight disorders cannot be solved if people did not pay much attention to their health.
The deliverers of e-books should warn each buyer about the harm the digital books can do if used improperly. People should be directed at the problem and at the ways how to prevent it. Further actions should depend on everyone in particular.
Referring to the problem of cataloging books, it may be stated that the main challenge the online databases should overcome is the single books’ records. Much research has been conducted in this sphere, and it has been proved that batch cataloging is a great way out. This activity may help to manage the data rather than try to meet the standards of the record of a single book.
Thus, it may be concluded that the solutions I have offered are just the first steps which should be done about solving problems with e-books. The solution to the one problem is going to be substituted by another one and so on. But, the understanding that the problem exists and the desire to cope with it is the first and the most important step on the way for digital society with the devices which do not create the environment where the law can be violated.
Works Cited
McAllister, David, McAllister, Nancy and Steve Vivian. “The impact of digital books upon print publishing.” Boston Books/C & M Online Media Inc, 2002. Web.
Wu, Annie, and Anne M. Mitchell. “Mass management of e-book catalog records: approaches, challenges, and solutions.” Library Resources & Technical Services 54.3 (2010): 164-174. Web.