E-Textbooks

[Andrew Green]

Electronic text books for sale at University's, they cut 30% off the cost.

The catch:
- They are bound to a single computer
- They expire after 5 months and are innaccessible after that
- You can't resell them (great for the publishers, no one can buy 2nd hand copies)
- You can't print the entire thing at once

http://news.zdnet.com/2102-9588_22-5825301.html?tag=printthis

Once a school starts selling all books like this, no printed copies available, we're gonna be in trouble... Those restrictions are ridiculous. You're not buying the book, you're renting it, at 70% its cost. And even the rental comes with some major restrictions...

Starting to look like this: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html

 

[Gemini]

Well, new ideas have to start somewhere and those that succeed are not always the best ones, but the ones who will listen to the consumer and adjust as needed. First generation ideas are seldom carved in stone.

I agree that the restrictions and the cost for what you're getting are way out of bounds. I would never pay 70% of full price to rent a book. I still make references to some of my old tech and engineering books. When the idea doesn't sell and they start asking why (which apparently is already happening) either they are going to have to lighten up a bit or it goes by the wayside.

 

[Kenpodoc]

Electronic text books for sale at University's, they cut 30% off the cost.

The catch:
- They are bound to a single computer
- They expire after 5 months and are innaccessible after that
- You can't resell them (great for the publishers, no one can buy 2nd hand copies)
- You can't print the entire thing at once

http://news.zdnet.com/2102-9588_22-5825301.html?tag=printthis

Once a school starts selling all books like this, no printed copies available, we're gonna be in trouble... Those restrictions are ridiculous. You're not buying the book, you're renting it, at 70% its cost. And even the rental comes with some major restrictions...

Starting to look like this: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html

First, I agree I wouldn't want to rent a text for a few months for 70% of its cost.

I will point out that many people buy the text then sell it back at about 30% of the original cost. This might be a reasonable deal for those people.

If I were the text book company, I'd also offer the text at significant discount for those who decided they wanted a hard copy.

Personally I don't like e books. I can't read them as easily and they don't allow me to lounge as easily while I read.

Jeff

 

[Cryozombie]

Does anybody remember Just before DVDs came out, you could get a special player, and Purchase Videos on a disk, and watch them whenever you wanted... providing you paid a "rental fee" to get an unlock code everytime?

No? You dont remember that?

EXACTLY.

This will be the same thing, I feel.

 

[Tgace]

College text books are such a F'n scam job......

 

[evenflow1121]

Yes e-text books seem like complete crap, although I would not purchase an e-text book because of the reasons you already stated, most obvious being that you are renting the book, and it really seems like a completely useless invention. However, everytime I buy a text book for $200+ and the buy back after one semester is $1, because the author made a new edition, which consists of moving chapter 10 to chapter 9; I mean I am pretty sure something is already wrong when this is allowed.

 

[Andrew Green]

Personally I don't like e books. I can't read them as easily and they don't allow me to lounge as easily while I read.

That will likely not last too long, It's only a matter of time before a good screen gets put on a hand held device designed for book reading at an affordible cost.

With a good screen it might even make it easier, having something the size of one small book to carry rather then a stack of books. Plus being able to search the documents, change font type/size, etc.

But until there is a better way of reading them you're right, most people won't find them as convienient.

But with the Maxwell Smart Auto-destruct messages in place, electronic books are never gonna fly...

 

[Tgace]

Whatever happened to the whole "digital paper" thing????

Remember that?

 

[Andrew Green]

It got eaten by a digital dog...

 

[Kenpodoc]

That will likely not last too long, It's only a matter of time before a good screen gets put on a hand held device designed for book reading at an affordible cost.

With a good screen it might even make it easier, having something the size of one small book to carry rather then a stack of books. Plus being able to search the documents, change font type/size, etc.

But until there is a better way of reading them you're right, most people won't find them as convienient.

But with the Maxwell Smart Auto-destruct messages in place, electronic books are never gonna fly...

It will probably happen but I've been waiting 25 years now and have not found a replacement for a book or for genuine paper. Books just feel better to me, they are more mobile, the battery doesn't die and they don't glare. I've tried several times to go paperless but computer technology keeps changing and if I really want to retrieve something years later I need the paper or a warehouse of old computers and programs. Hand written letters remain more personal and sexier than typed. Your partner may be different but I guarantee that a typed note will not melt my wife's heart.

Different technology for different needs.

Jeff

 

[Phoenix44]

Can you read it in bed?

 

[arnisador]

My textbook is doing well, but I'm not making much cash as most of the sales are overseas. They then sell the cheap overseas versions back via eBay etc. It means I get a negligible royalty but someone in S. Korea makes a killing. I wouldn't mind the students saving the money if it weren't for some middleman making a $40+ profit per book on the scam.

The costs are indeed high...but I spent 4 years writing mine, and a lot would have to sell at full price to get me even minimum wage for the time I invested. But, my area (scientific computing) needed an up-to-date book, as professors adopting my text would obviously agree.

The textbook companies are having a tough time. Remember, most of their books won't pay them back, so they make it up on the few that do succeed.

But, e-books is the only way to go in the long run.