Many people like both. I love that I can download any un-copyrighted book for free on my Kindle, and it’s much nicer than lugging around several heavy books when I go on long trips.  I also like it for reading foreign-language books, since my dictionaries are right there - and I like being able to change the type size when my eyes get tired.

That said, it’s hard to beat the feel of a real book in your hands!  Both are great, and I expect many people will continue to want both options.

I always have to laugh about the “save a tree” reason people use when
disparaging hard copy books. It is absurd and simply not true. Have these
green saints considered the cost of modern technology? What about all the raw
materials and rare earth elements that go into making these new toys? Has
anyone ever seen the mountainous scrap piles in China or on the various coasts
of the third world countries where so much of our own techno-trash ends up?

I see people with their e-book appliances all the time. Nothing wrong with the
idea or use of them I suppose; but how is it that these savvy greenies can be so
self-righteous about this when most of them are still driving huge vehicles,
voting for politicians that now make up the most conservative, ignorant and
just plain stupid legislative body in the world?

Bezos is simply shilling his products. And for those who delight in the
possibility that e-reading will simply get more people to read, let’s just take a
look at what they’re reading first. Stupid people will still read stupid things and
there is more to read than ever in the history of mankind. Where is all this
technology getting us?  Bezos is certainly no Gutenberg. He is substantively
changing nothing in civilization or real culture.