In the past, e-books were popular mainly for the following reasons: 1. Price advantage: Compared to paper books, e-books are more affordable. E-books can be purchased anywhere and anytime over the internet, while paper books can only be purchased at specific bookstores or vendors. 2. Light and easy to carry: E-books are very light and can be easily carried anywhere to read. Paper books were relatively large and difficult to carry. 3. Easy to read: E-books can be read directly without the need to open a paper book or computer. For paper books, one needed to turn on the computer or the paper book before reading it. 4. Reading experience: The reading experience of e-books is better than that of paper books. The screen of the e-book was brighter and more comfortable to read. 5. Unlimited free downloads of e-books: e-books can be downloaded for free on any device without paying. Paper books, on the other hand, had to be purchased for a fee, and it was inconvenient to download them for free. In summary, the above reasons made e-books especially popular in the past.