What are your thoughts on the trend towards using e-books and digital downloads (Nook, Kindle, etc.) for textbooks? On one hand I like the idea of reducing the amount of paper used in text book production but on the other hand I wonder if it would make it difficult to flip back and forth between pages when trying to compare topics against each other or bookmarking several pages or sections.

Have you used a digital download or e-book textbook? What was the ease of use like?

If you haven't...what are your thoughts on this trend?

I am pursuing my BA, so I'm not a grad student yet However, I've had several classes with digital textbooks. I print them. Going digital is acceptable to me for reading a book for review or for research. For textbooks, I do not learn as well using a strictly digital format (even those that allow "notes"). It is a learning issue ... plus I have "old" eyes and reading constantly on a computer screen (or e-reader screen) is more difficult and cannot be accomplished for hours at time, as I can do with a paper edition. The learning issue is more important to me than the forest issue -- plant more trees!

That's my 2 cents worth.