One day there's going to be a time when every book in print will be available in digital format. And like many budding technologies, the outcome is far from certain.
Nobody wants to get left behind.
But the next phase is to bring full-fledged stories and novels to hitherto skeptical readers over a variety of devices, from personal computers to portable reading screens. San Francisco-based Fatbrain has mostly focused on the corporate information market, selling software manuals in both print and digital formats. Microsoft itself is investing in the e-book concept. Online retailers are further getting into the game. The company says its reader preserves the layout and feel of printed texts, while offering easy downloads and enhancements afforded by digital formats.