11-18-2011, 08:26 AM | #16 | |
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It does turn out that a lot of the books were saved, and are in storage. Don't know if it was all of them, though. I imagine the OWS librarians are going through them now, or will soon, to work out what the damage was. |
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11-18-2011, 04:51 PM | #17 |
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Depends on the books and the course. I'm guessing that you'd break even with your first English Lit class, or anything else that can use public domain books.
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11-18-2011, 11:46 PM | #18 |
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Practically, there are several problems with this.
1) FORMAT: you need all books available in the same format so that students only need one reader. This means all publishers need to support all formats or they all need to agree on one format and one DRM system. 2) SCREEN SIZE: many texts need larger screens. You need to be able to fit graphics/diagrams on the same page at the same time. It's tough to do in six inches, and large screens are much more expensive. 3) ADA: Some schools have tried ebook experiments, but they have fallen afoul of accessibility regulations. 4) COSTS: it is tough to require students to buy another piece of hardware. Especially, if it isn't a single, universal device. All of this can be fixed, and when it is, I believe the book prices will more than payoff any upfront hardware costs. However, there is quite a lot of work to solve all of these for most players. It would require a total ecosystem approach from an Apple or Amazon, for example. |
11-19-2011, 03:21 AM | #19 |
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I still maintain that the hardware would need to be more robust than hitherto.
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11-19-2011, 06:27 AM | #20 |
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Right direction, we'll get there, but not quite there right now.
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11-19-2011, 11:45 AM | #21 |
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Actually, I see it happening now but in India or China.
Take the 35/65 dollar Indian ereader. Have the government hire someone to create a textbook. The government pays a flat rate (a salary) and makes the text free to school children. Even with loss and breakage of the hardware it would probably be cheaper than providing physical texts to several hundred million students. ... But can you picture the issues with producing a government approved history text in an open political system like the US? Who gets the say on what events get included? The editorial tone? Will it get re-edited each time the administration changes? I'm sure we can overcome bias charges by building a huge bearaucracy of fact checkers, and a bipartisan commission or two. |
11-19-2011, 12:05 PM | #22 | |
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Look up the net margins for publically traded textbook (wiley,mpearson, ...) companies and you will see numbers around nine percent, which I wouldn't call outlandish. It's clear that, given the current business models the all the publishers tricks keep them in business, and don't create unusual profits. We need to propose another way of producing texts if we want prices to drop. |
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11-19-2011, 04:48 PM | #23 |
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A lot of the responses here are along the lines of "this is a horrible idea because of the current state of the ebook industry."
Don't worry: It will get better. I wouldn't suggest that we're ready to abandon print texts for ebooks in schools yet, though we are ready to begin the process. One thing that's sorely lacking is the equivalent e-versions of the print texts being used now, but that will change. Some schools are giving new students iPads, laptops or other electronic devices; and many students already have devices. We can use format standardization, but that's a need for the entire ebook industry, not just for education. Oh... and e-texts can be backed up. How often do you copy and store away copies of printed texts? So, there's no reason to expect that that schools can't eventually move all students (and faculty) to a digital-based text system. One other thing: The example mentioned in the article, suggesting students surrender all print material, is quite obviously extremist. No need to get bent out of shape over an exaggerated scenario. |
11-19-2011, 05:35 PM | #24 | |
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Of course, the book is also 1,600 pages long and weighs 10 lbs, so there would definitely be some advantages to an e-reader (and carrying 3-4 of these books presents its own ADA issues...). But right now, e-books are significantly inferior at being actual textbooks. And multimedia ability might be useful for a high school textbook, but it is something of a joke for a college or grad school/professional school text. In most of my law school classes, I basically needed to read 100's of cases (and a few statutes, regulations, commentaries, etc.) to understand how the law developed in a particular area. A short video of a supreme court justice speaking, or of a bridge in a case involving a bridge, would be a waste of time. (And in a rare instance where some multimedia would be useful, an URL would be more than enough). There might be a few fields where multimedia would be more useful,but I think for most fields at the college level, it would just be fluff. [snip] All of this can be fixed, and when it is, I believe the book prices will more than payoff any upfront hardware costs. However, there is quite a lot of work to solve all of these for most players. It would require a total ecosystem approach from an Apple or Amazon, for example.[/QUOTE] This is probably true. |
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11-19-2011, 11:52 PM | #25 |
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I would think battery life has to be longer. Somewhere around 24 hours.
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11-20-2011, 03:42 AM | #26 |
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Doesn't sound very attractive to me.
1. I doubt that it is possible to do reasonable research without a library yet, as many sources may not be available yet. Obviously this may differ depending on the subject. 2. One of the attractions of working in the library is to read up stuff you accidentally happen to come across 3. How are students supposed to meet cute fellow students of the opposite sex without the coffee breaks in the library? |
11-20-2011, 10:25 AM | #27 |
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If you think that textbook companies won't use the most restrictive form of DRM on the market, and also try to find ways to make those textbooks self- destruct at the end of the semester; then I've got some beach front property in Waco to sell you. We're dealing with a business model dedicated to shafting the living hell out of a captive audience here, not even a traditional print publisher that has to compete with other print publishers.
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11-20-2011, 04:49 PM | #28 | |
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11-20-2011, 04:51 PM | #29 | |
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2: You have heard about the interwebs, right? 3: You have heard about Starbucks, right? |
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11-20-2011, 05:35 PM | #30 | |
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As for the governments, they're totally oblivious. All they care about is funneling students through, regardless of how big a student loan debt they end up with or whether the degree will actually help them get a job or not. Same with parents; just give the kid a student loan and let them pay for it all later on down the line. |
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