scanning is time consuming and requires fairly extensive computing resources

Ripping a CD was once hard, then it became easy.

A modern office scanner/copier/printer can scan a stack of paper as easy as it can copy a stack of paper. You just get the result to a file. So the problem is to get the book to a stack of papers, which is done by cutting of the spine.

The difference lies in having to sacrifice the artifact, and for many this is insurmountable. But it only takes one and I know people who would gladly do it just to save shelf space.

And it only takes one to copy, then it can be made availeble to all through the magic of the internet.

If e-books becomes popular I expect lots of copying. I am not sure it will though, the lack of titles on Pirate Bay suggests to me that e-books are not all that popular even amongst early adapters.

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