E-learning is it threat or opportunity?

Writing about e-learning there is common discussion - is it threat or opportunity of development of e-tools to traditional textbook publisher?

In terms of WSiP that published textbook for more the 60 years in the form of paper (however, paper book changed in last decade significantly) it maybe rather threat.


But from other point of view, as many publishers says, publishing houses sell "content" not form of the "content". In that point of view e-tools are only the mean of delivering the same (or maybe more multimedia) content to the learners. But is switching from paper book to e-learning tools not too high progress to traditional publishing house? Will they be good prepared to face the competition with more it-developed companies? Will they really be able to cooperate with authors to make e-content like they did it in terms of book production? And the most important question! Will authors (willing to give/sell their knowledge) will really need "e-publishers" to have it delivered to learners or will they be able to do it by themselves using wiki technology, blogs, podcasts or using other e-learning tools?

In my opinion some e-tools may force out traditional textbooks form the market, other may become interesting form of supporting them, some other may even increase their sells! Anyway, textbook publishing houses (WSiP) must start doing something in e-business to be good prepared when the e-learning time will ultimately come!