[esperent]

Somebody would have created an ebook if not for Amazon. They were just well placed to do so, but they didn't invent any of the technology or concepts.

Much like Apple and touchscreen phones, or Tesla and electric cars. The might have advanced the tech by a couple of years but they were profiting off the inevitable.

[yomly]

IIRC from the Everything Store there was some conjecture that the Amazon "read the first chapter" feature paved the way to mass digitalization of books. So they were well positioned to launch with decent selection and ramp up faster than if they relied on the pace of distributors. If any amazonians from around that time could confirm that would be cool...

There is art in execution too.

[chadcmulligan]

Could be, there were other ebook readers around at the time, but it was Amazon that integrated it with the business of buying books and made them cheap. So, yes, eventually some one would have done it, but by then the iPad may have been around, would a kindle have been viable, after the iPad? hard to say.