Microsoft Reader -- Free Reader for .lit ebook files

Ebooks have never really caught on with most readers as ebook reader gadgets are expensive and ebooks generally are not cheap enough compared to paperbacks to make up the difference. There are also several non-compatible forms of ebook file, which generally require separate ebook reader gadgets.

Nevertheless, free ebooks in Microsoft's ebook format (.lit) have become somewhat common on the web. If you do not mind reading them on your computer, Microsoft has made a free ebook reader program, Microsoft Reader, available. The program is easy to use and comes with an ebook manual. You can add other .lit ebooks you download to the "My Library" folder in "My Documents" and they will automatically be available to Microsoft Reader. Microsoft Reader wants you to activate it. Unless you plan to purchase protected format ebooks (that is commercial ebooks with DRM), you can skip this step.

I will probably never become enamored of ebooks (unless the cost of readers and ebooks comes way down), but Microsoft Reader at least allows me to read the many free .lit ebooks available on the Internet without wasting a couple of hundred dollars on a ebook reader gadget.

Rating: 4.5
Operating System: Windows 98 or better
License: Commercial Freeware
Price: Freeware
Version: 2.1.1
Web Site: http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/pc.mspx

[tags]freeware, ebook reader, .lit, Windows[/tags]