Comments on: Textbooks Are So Old School http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school The Official Student Publication of Claremont McKenna College Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bruce Hildebrand http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-7614 Bruce Hildebrand Wed, 06 May 2009 17:12:00 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-7614 First, a response to the piracy advocates. An author, or team of authors, along with editors, designers, other issue and subject experts, reviewers and more usually work for three to five years to develop a single textbook. While these activities are going on, another team creates the research, study, e-tutor, self-assessment, video and other digital platforms that supplement the textbook. Nice to know that you feel free to steal all of their individual and collective work and investment. Should I presume, then, you also think it is OK for someone to steal your computer so they can have access to the pirated works on your hard drive and, perhaps, all of the papers you’ve written and your personal stuff for the last three to five years. You know, pirate the pirate. According to your logic that would be fair and reasonable. Right? For those who wish to buy their textbooks by the chapter, go to iChapters.com. This site was created by a publisher, Cengage. It’s great for budgeting and you can buy just what you need just when you need it. Expect to see more of these sites. If you want e-books at a discount of about 50% off the printed textbook price, go to Coursesmart.com, another site created by publishers. Another bit of info, the fastest growing segment of the postsecondary textbook sector is the instructor designed custom textbook that includes materials from multiple sources. The custom includes only what will be used in the class so students do not have to pay for materials they do not use. Customs cost less and, I should note, are very popular. In general, it is important to recognize that publishers are not printers. They are agnostic about how their content is delivered. Whether printed or digital, the market will choose and the publishers will provide. First, a response to the piracy advocates. An author, or team of authors, along with editors, designers, other issue and subject experts, reviewers and more usually work for three to five years to develop a single textbook. While these activities are going on, another team creates the research, study, e-tutor, self-assessment, video and other digital platforms that supplement the textbook. Nice to know that you feel free to steal all of their individual and collective work and investment. Should I presume, then, you also think it is OK for someone to steal your computer so they can have access to the pirated works on your hard drive and, perhaps, all of the papers you’ve written and your personal stuff for the last three to five years. You know, pirate the pirate. According to your logic that would be fair and reasonable. Right?

For those who wish to buy their textbooks by the chapter, go to iChapters.com. This site was created by a publisher, Cengage. It’s great for budgeting and you can buy just what you need just when you need it. Expect to see more of these sites. If you want e-books at a discount of about 50% off the printed textbook price, go to Coursesmart.com, another site created by publishers.

Another bit of info, the fastest growing segment of the postsecondary textbook sector is the instructor designed custom textbook that includes materials from multiple sources. The custom includes only what will be used in the class so students do not have to pay for materials they do not use. Customs cost less and, I should note, are very popular.

In general, it is important to recognize that publishers are not printers. They are agnostic about how their content is delivered. Whether printed or digital, the market will choose and the publishers will provide.

]]> By: Bruce Hildebrand http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-47565 Bruce Hildebrand Wed, 06 May 2009 17:12:00 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-47565 First, a response to the piracy advocates. An author, or team of authors, along with editors, designers, other issue and subject experts, reviewers and more usually work for three to five years to develop a single textbook. While these activities are going on, another team creates the research, study, e-tutor, self-assessment, video and other digital platforms that supplement the textbook. Nice to know that you feel free to steal all of their individual and collective work and investment. Should I presume, then, you also think it is OK for someone to steal your computer so they can have access to the pirated works on your hard drive and, perhaps, all of the papers you’ve written and your personal stuff for the last three to five years. You know, pirate the pirate. According to your logic that would be fair and reasonable. Right? For those who wish to buy their textbooks by the chapter, go to iChapters.com. This site was created by a publisher, Cengage. It’s great for budgeting and you can buy just what you need just when you need it. Expect to see more of these sites. If you want e-books at a discount of about 50% off the printed textbook price, go to Coursesmart.com, another site created by publishers. Another bit of info, the fastest growing segment of the postsecondary textbook sector is the instructor designed custom textbook that includes materials from multiple sources. The custom includes only what will be used in the class so students do not have to pay for materials they do not use. Customs cost less and, I should note, are very popular. In general, it is important to recognize that publishers are not printers. They are agnostic about how their content is delivered. Whether printed or digital, the market will choose and the publishers will provide. First, a response to the piracy advocates. An author, or team of authors, along with editors, designers, other issue and subject experts, reviewers and more usually work for three to five years to develop a single textbook. While these activities are going on, another team creates the research, study, e-tutor, self-assessment, video and other digital platforms that supplement the textbook. Nice to know that you feel free to steal all of their individual and collective work and investment. Should I presume, then, you also think it is OK for someone to steal your computer so they can have access to the pirated works on your hard drive and, perhaps, all of the papers you’ve written and your personal stuff for the last three to five years. You know, pirate the pirate. According to your logic that would be fair and reasonable. Right?

For those who wish to buy their textbooks by the chapter, go to iChapters.com. This site was created by a publisher, Cengage. It’s great for budgeting and you can buy just what you need just when you need it. Expect to see more of these sites. If you want e-books at a discount of about 50% off the printed textbook price, go to Coursesmart.com, another site created by publishers.

Another bit of info, the fastest growing segment of the postsecondary textbook sector is the instructor designed custom textbook that includes materials from multiple sources. The custom includes only what will be used in the class so students do not have to pay for materials they do not use. Customs cost less and, I should note, are very popular.

In general, it is important to recognize that publishers are not printers. They are agnostic about how their content is delivered. Whether printed or digital, the market will choose and the publishers will provide.

]]> By: Josh Siegel http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-7610 Josh Siegel Wed, 06 May 2009 05:08:26 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-7610 It doesn't use an LCD display like a computer, cell phone, or TV screen. It uses e-ink display, which looks just like real paper and doesn't cause eye strain. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_paper" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">E-Ink on Wikipedia</a> <a href="http://www.eink.com/technology/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">E-Ink</a> It doesn’t use an LCD display like a computer, cell phone, or TV screen. It uses e-ink display, which looks just like real paper and doesn’t cause eye strain.

E-Ink on Wikipedia

E-Ink

]]> By: Joshua Redel http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-7608 Joshua Redel Wed, 06 May 2009 04:55:43 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-7608 One thing: Eyes. My eyes hurt enough from staring at my computer when I'm not reading textbooks, and I'm loathe to think what will happen when everything I read has to be in digital form. Granted, one could always just print out the ebook, but after a while I have a feeling that we'll need to googletextbook each other with notes, etc. in the margins, and then I'll have to read the text online. Headaches galore. One thing: Eyes. My eyes hurt enough from staring at my computer when I’m not reading textbooks, and I’m loathe to think what will happen when everything I read has to be in digital form. Granted, one could always just print out the ebook, but after a while I have a feeling that we’ll need to googletextbook each other with notes, etc. in the margins, and then I’ll have to read the text online. Headaches galore.

]]> By: Joshua Redel http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-47564 Joshua Redel Wed, 06 May 2009 04:55:00 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-47564 One thing: Eyes. My eyes hurt enough from staring at my computer when I'm not reading textbooks, and I'm loathe to think what will happen when everything I read has to be in digital form. Granted, one could always just print out the ebook, but after a while I have a feeling that we'll need to googletextbook each other with notes, etc. in the margins, and then I'll have to read the text online. Headaches galore. One thing: Eyes. My eyes hurt enough from staring at my computer when I’m not reading textbooks, and I’m loathe to think what will happen when everything I read has to be in digital form. Granted, one could always just print out the ebook, but after a while I have a feeling that we’ll need to googletextbook each other with notes, etc. in the margins, and then I’ll have to read the text online. Headaches galore.

]]> By: Pirate http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-7603 Pirate Wed, 06 May 2009 00:17:05 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-7603 Josh has a good point about their needing to be a mass audience for pirating but currently many texts are pirated and online. Maybe not your specific book, but you can find macro, micro, and intro econ books as well as plenty of bio/chem/physics stuff. I found the entire examkrackers MCAT package and the entire powerscores LSAT package. Aar!!! Josh has a good point about their needing to be a mass audience for pirating but currently many texts are pirated and online. Maybe not your specific book, but you can find macro, micro, and intro econ books as well as plenty of bio/chem/physics stuff. I found the entire examkrackers MCAT package and the entire powerscores LSAT package. Aar!!!

]]> By: Pirate http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-47563 Pirate Wed, 06 May 2009 00:17:00 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-47563 Josh has a good point about their needing to be a mass audience for pirating but currently many texts are pirated and online. Maybe not your specific book, but you can find macro, micro, and intro econ books as well as plenty of bio/chem/physics stuff. I found the entire examkrackers MCAT package and the entire powerscores LSAT package. Aar!!! Josh has a good point about their needing to be a mass audience for pirating but currently many texts are pirated and online. Maybe not your specific book, but you can find macro, micro, and intro econ books as well as plenty of bio/chem/physics stuff. I found the entire examkrackers MCAT package and the entire powerscores LSAT package. Aar!!!

]]> By: CMC Faculty http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-7601 CMC Faculty Tue, 05 May 2009 22:57:25 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-7601 CMC faculty will be slow to adopt this, of course. Especially the government and history department. Just as our website is a piece of shit made over a decade ago, our course registration is still done in person, and our housing process is a multi-day in-person extravaganza, our textbook policy will remain obsolete for far too long. CMC faculty will be slow to adopt this, of course. Especially the government and history department.

Just as our website is a piece of shit made over a decade ago, our course registration is still done in person, and our housing process is a multi-day in-person extravaganza, our textbook policy will remain obsolete for far too long.

]]> By: CMC Faculty http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-47562 CMC Faculty Tue, 05 May 2009 22:57:00 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-47562 CMC faculty will be slow to adopt this, of course. Especially the government and history department. Just as our website is a piece of shit made over a decade ago, our course registration is still done in person, and our housing process is a multi-day in-person extravaganza, our textbook policy will remain obsolete for far too long. CMC faculty will be slow to adopt this, of course. Especially the government and history department.

Just as our website is a piece of shit made over a decade ago, our course registration is still done in person, and our housing process is a multi-day in-person extravaganza, our textbook policy will remain obsolete for far too long.

]]> By: Josh http://cmcforum.com/life/05052009-textbooks-are-so-old-school#comment-7600 Josh Tue, 05 May 2009 22:52:45 +0000 http://cmcforum.com/?p=4085#comment-7600 By the way, I think the days of "textbooks" might be soon over. If I were a professor and had the option, I'd assign readings on each subject in the course, not an entire textbook. A reading on French electoral systems from one author, a chapter on English Parliament from another. In effect, professors will be making their own "textbooks" from a combination of texts, just as some professors currently have "course packets." By the way, I think the days of “textbooks” might be soon over. If I were a professor and had the option, I’d assign readings on each subject in the course, not an entire textbook. A reading on French electoral systems from one author, a chapter on English Parliament from another.

In effect, professors will be making their own “textbooks” from a combination of texts, just as some professors currently have “course packets.”

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