Quote:
Originally Posted by vrf
I almost never feel it's okay to steal, but textbook publishers sure muddy the issue.
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As a (former) textbook author myself, I am well aware of the economics of their publication. Believe me, you are NEVER going to see $10 textbooks. There are two reasons for this:
1. Textbooks are
extremely expensive to produce compared to fiction. They generally have highly-complex layouts, and require
much more careful editing. Reputable textbook publishers generally send proofs out to independent experts in the field for checking. All this costs a great deal of money.
2. The market for textbooks is very small compared to fiction. A sold-out print run of 10,000 copies would be pathetic for any fiction book - the same sales would have a textbook publishers throwing a party.
These two factors combined are why textbooks are, and will continue to be, expensive. Stealing them isn't the answer.