But the problem Mac users had getting their hands on Riding the Bullet only underscores the compatibility issues in a medium that promised platform independence. Proprietary Publishing Electronic texts in Portable Document Format were once touted as the answer to cross-platform worries. Still, electronic books may seem like a boon to established writers looking for new audiences. And for new writers, e-books can be an inexpensive way to break into the highly competitive publishing market. And handheld e-book devices don't come cheap.
Many electronic texts are more expensive than paperback editions of the same book.
What's more, published e-books are vastly outnumbered by the print versions available at bookstores or online. That's not likely to change until publishers feel more secure about their ability to protect copyrighted material in digital format. Different e-book devices use different proprietary formats. If one company gets the electronic rights to a book, other companies' devices or programs may not be able to read that particular format. Read through past issues of Macworld magazine or see a list of recently-posted online items .