Comment by t-3
10 hours ago
OCR exists, and the vast majority of new books are developed on computers and are available in a searchable and copyable format. Ebook software for research and collaboration is not as developed as software purely for linear reading, but there's no huge blockers.
GP is obviously talking about regular paper books:
> besides not needing batteries for it
Actually, analogue and digital versions. Both have their pros and cons.