[Morthoron]

A thought came to me. It's not really epiphanic, but if publishers shift to e-readers completely, doesn't that then make their jobs obsolete in many cases? As an author, what exactly do I need a publisher for, if I can self-publish on the internet? All one really needs is a generic e-reader that will accept a file off the 'net and voila! I no longer have to share the profits of a book with a publisher or, rather, the publisher won't be doling out scant percentages of my profits to me.

Of course, there is the marketing aspect of publishers, and I suppose that will remain an effective tool for many years, but national book chains are already suffering in the U.S. (Barnes & Noble is still healthy, but Borders is hovering near bankruptcy), and if books are eventually going the way of the dodo, what would be the point of going to a book store at all?

Naturally, trade books and dictionaries may still require publishers, but it seems that encyclopedias are already becoming irrelevent, what with the ease of finding information on the internet. I have a copy of the OED sitting on an antique lectern, and it looks very smart -- literally -- but I do not go to it as often as I used to. Seeking out words on the internet is far easier. But I do not like e-readers, personally, in regards to simply reading a book. I skip around and backtrack too much -- the cursed thing hurts my eyes. I also still read a newspaper every morning, even though the publishers have the exact same info on the 'net. But I am probably one of the last generation to find solace in a paper and a cup of coffee to start my day. Besides, I don't believe they have found an adequate internet solution for crossword puzzles.

As far as Tolkien's view on the matter? I think he would be appalled. But this is a man who deeply distrusted automobiles and other forms of technology, which made him old-fashioned even 50 years ago.