This train of thought (if I can be said to have thought) started when I went to
http://www.SmartQMid.com for updates for my SmartDevices V7. I noticed that Andorid had been updated, and that I could read Amazon's ebooks, Border's ebooks, and B&N's ebooks.
Since my last post, I've looked over the major online book sellers. I see that PC, Mac, iPad, BlackBerry, and Android are all fairly standard. I totally missed this in the last few months.
NOW IF ONLY THE BIG TEXTBOOK PUBLISHERS WOULD GO THAT WAY!
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Oh I see what you mean, yes. But if you simply specify the format - ePub, or whatever - then the student will be free to buy whatever device can read that format, whether it be a laptop running Windows, a Mac, an Android tablet, an iPad, or whatever else they fancy. That's what I meant earlier when I said that both Android and the iPad were "open" in respect of being able to install applications on them.
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Yes, you are right, but we are not there yet. I do see that we may get a group of standard executable platforms BEFORE we get a standard file format.
Quote:
Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore
Yes and it is developments like those Andy mentioned, about forcing students to by ebooks, that makes me feel that the move to digital has some of the character of a scam. It is an end run around the used market. And publishers would love to do away with used text books so that they could more thoroughly exploit the captive student market. The royalty squad would love to do away with used bookstores. I like ebooks, don't get me wrong, but I have the feeling that there is more going on than a simple move to a more efficient distribution system.
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That is because the words "scam" and "college text book" are synonyms.:rofl
We will keep paper books, and the students can pick which they wish to use. My biggest complaints are: (1) students can not keep DRMed books long-term, (2) students are tracked as they read DRMed books, and (3) we often require them to buy software (e.g., SAM 2010 from Course Technology) and they can agree to the license agreement (which goes beyond "do not pirate") or they can not turn in the work and will fail the class. Ick!
Andy