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The advantages of online newspapers greatly outweigh the disadvantages. The portability of print is the main disadvantage of hypertext, however technological advances see the advent of personal technical devices which showcase portable browsers and anywhere Internet accessibility. Technology, though, only fosters the problem of power sources needed to run expensive gadgets, which can crash, get infected and need browser support.

Accessibility is another main problem of Internet news, since the main target of the Internet are white middle class American males, problems of class and socio-economics arise. North Americans are the most common users of the internet, while other countries struggle to keep up with out technological advances, online news serves only to benefit those who can afford a computer and the Internet. With affordability also comes speed. Internet speed is greatly valued in terms of downloading time in order to access information. Internet newspapers due to the wide expanse and availability of information is also greatly time consuming and often readability suffers in terms of type. Getting lost in the web and frustrating broken links are other problems which arise out of the mass of information available.

Some readers of newsprint, like myself, indulge in the daily crossword - portability being the main advantage - and like the challenge of solving puzzles by hand.
Others perhaps choose specific newspapers because of the editorial decisions, and journalistic technique. Seniors feel comfortable with the familiar newsprint, and what about the many uses of old newspapers - cheap wrapping, scrap paper for stuffing, kindling, etc. Above all, I’m sure some prefer to follow the story as it unfolds on paper, some individuals may not have time to log on, or resources of the Internet. Therefore, as the Internet provides us with many different genres of hypertext, online newspapers just one of them, for some there is still no substitute for the original.

The success of the online newspapers can, in my opinion, be attributed to the ease of transference from the original print to hypertext. With certain characteristics which remain the same, aside from advantages in time, availability, environmentalism, and supplementary information (archives, links) the basic function of online newspapers and the look of the interface remain the same. Newspapers still inform, educate and entertain readers, whether they be hypertext or newsprint.

References

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Publications
http:/nml.ru.ac.za/carr/~hutton/adv.html