Regarding the virtual novel, the difference is that with new media, the format is dynamic compared to the actual book. I experienced this with my children. They could decide how the story would unfold. With new media, a truly dynamic, individual approach can be taken. They open the door to unprecedented possibilities.The whole dynamics are completely different.
I'll give you another example. I'm a historian. When I first started out in the profession, it was impossible to carry out with a pencil and paper the kind of analyses that we do today, to create databases, to analyse demographic and cultural trends, and so forth. I think the two can work side by side. Unquestionably, there is some continuity, but at the same time, new dimensions make the process more complex and this explains a little why new media are becoming increasingly popular.