What is an eBook ?

On the Internet, you have probably seen the term eBook. But: What is an eBook?

An eBook is a document, wrapped as a book, with chapters containing information related to the theme of the eBook. Much like an ordinary book, but with a difference: It is in electronic format.

What does that mean?

It means that the eBook can be stored in computers, and passed on to others on the Internet.

This opens some great possibilities: If you want to publish something, you are no longer dependent on a publisher, a distribution channel, booksstores, commercials, or any other mechanism needed for ordinary production and sale of books: You can perform it all on the Internet.

More on What is an eBook:

This concept has been spreading like wildfire the last couple of years, and today, there are hundres of thousands of different eBooks on the market. Here are some characteristics:

What is an eBook: Benefits for users:

1. They are typically smaller than ordinary books: 30-100 pages is quite common
2. They deliver very targeted information about a small subject
3. They are lower priced (in most cases) than hard-copy books
4. They are marketed on the Internet by the writer herself, or through affiliates (resellers for a profit %)
5. They are immediately downloadable: Within seconds after secure credit card payment, you get access to the eBook

Ebooks, named so after the term "electronic books", are also named "information products".

In the real estate business, there are three important elements for estimating the value of a property:

Location, location, location.

On the Internet, it is similar, but the key elements here are:

Information, information, information.

People are constantly searching for information on the Net: Most of it is free, but some gems have been turned into products. eBooks are a huge part of that.

What is an eBook: Benefits for writers:

• They are easy to produce (once you are an expert on the subject inside the eBook)
• They can be placed into the marketplace in an instance (once you know where and how)
• It is easy to have others selling it for you as well (once you know how)
• They are one of the hottest selling concepts on the Internet
• Most important: No storage space and no shipping: These are electronic products, only residing on a harddisk!

This is what is called "a business on autopilot": You can sell products whether you are asleep or on vacation.

All in all, a perfect product for most people who possess a certain skill (and we all do, just think about it), and want to profit from it.

eBooks are normally delivered in a format called "pdf". When you see a filename like "woodcarwing.pdf", you know it is formatted for secure reading.

Some produce eBooks in a format called "exe". This means that the eBook is in an executable format: It is a program that is running on your computer.

I would strongly advice against downloading and running a .exe file from anyone you don't trust and know: This is the easiest way to spread malignant SW that can possibly harm or even totally destruct your computer's harddisk, thereby making it useless. Pay great attention to it.

On the other hand, pdf files are static, they cannot do harm to your computer, but you need a pdf reader program in order to open and read pdf files. The by far most used reader is the Adobe Acrobat reader.

You can download it here, or click on the download icon to the left. It won't cost you a cent: It is free software.

Once you're finished installing it, you are ready to read eBooks wherever you visit. You may try to start here, reading my Grandchild eBook

Read more if you are unsure on how to handle eBooks.

So much for What is an eBook: I hope it got clearer now.

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