When Microsoft's eBook store closes, your books disappear too
I don't buy ebooks, and this is just one reason. This is the complete list:1. For some reason they cost a similar amount to print booksSometimes a bit less, sometimes the same, sometimes more. Distributing a physical book means you have to print, handle, store, transport, store again, handle again and transport again (using a simplified model of the journey a book takes to the end user). That costs money, and it costs effectively $0 to get an ebook to a user. I don't see that saving being passed on to me, the consumer.Not only that, you're generally paying for less than you get with a physical book in terms of rights and (IMO convenience)2. You can't (or maybe you can) lend them freely.Last I checked there were limits on lending with the kindle/amazon. Maybe that's changed, but I don't want to have to think about that, I just want to lend the book to someone.3. You can't give them to someone.Maybe this has changed since I last looked, but passing on the book to someone else and it now being "theirs" isn't possible. Again perhaps that's changed these days.3. Cognitive overheadCan I do this stuff? Can't I? How do I do it? I don't want to have to think about that. Last week I gave a book to my daughter by just putting it on her desk. It was easy.4. LongevityIn 10 years will I still be able to access my books? 20? Yes, because they're over there, on a shelf.If ebooks cost a fraction of what they cost today then I would totally consider them. It's a tradeoff. Right now ebooks don't swing the balance towards them.