Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinp
Used computer books is pointless. Most programming technologies get updated every year or two and the students like to keep the books for reference anyway.
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This doesn't make sense to me. Why keep a book as reference if it goes out of date next year? I'm thinking it's because they don't actually go out of date so fast. Languages are pretty stable, and Computer Science concepts are even more so. Tool chains evolve rapidly, but you shouldn't need a textbook for those if the concepts are well-taught. Milking the students for as much as you can get seems to be the only reason for the price hikes.
I've read in previous threads here that sometimes proof of purchase of the textbook is required before homework is accepted. If that's not milking them for money, I don't know what is.