E-book Era
§ E-book as Modernization
© Nirupam Banerjee, INDIA
As the era changes from the Vedic times (when hearing & memorizing was all that constituted a Book e.g. the Vedas) to the 21st century e-times, I wish I'll be planning a new approach for my new clients in book-consultancy.
The world is changing, and has always been. After the Vedic era, came Stone-writings. The old question of copyright protection of knowledge (as in the Vedas, by not allowing it to be written down & thus being easily stolen) was gone. People used papers eventually. Various pens were invented.
[Note:- In the ancient India, 4 Vedas were lectured in such a discreet/diplomatic manner that not all persons were allowed to know all the parts. - This is how 'copyright' was saved.]
Then came Gutenberg. The revolutionary Printing Press.
Next Computer. And Printing technology itself advanced further.
And NOW -
Now has ushered in the INTERNET. (The Next revolution after Gutenberg's printing press)
Does Internet behave like the Vedic age?
To some extent maybe.
See the concept of e-Book.
Is it ever written in stone, or in tree leaves, or in papers? Does it depend upon the Gutenberg invention?
No.
But different from the Audio either.
And yet similar in the sense that they FLOAT in the air. The air of the Internet sky.
The e-Book may not be always fully available until you pay for it & promise to follow the instructions of non-transmission of it all. You may however be often allowed to forward some BRIEF EXCERPTS.
So the essence of the copyright concept remains the same.
Maybe in the 22nd century we'll see a Book (like a Movie) not necessarily in the Laptop/mobile but in the walls of our Living Room..But copyright must be ensured in some way or the other.
Legal things seem eternal. It is independent of the changes in technology.
Currently, e-Book popularity is very slowly penetrating the modern India. So creating a new style of e-Book can be now worked out.♦
