E-book for course, not sure how to proceed

ficbot · 06-22-2009, 02:10 AM

I am taking an on-line course starting this week, and tried to buy the book today. When I saw it was available in an 'ebook version' I assumed that meant PDF (groan) and thought nothing of it. But when I went on-line today, the three options were:

1) Just a print book
2) Just an 'access code' for the 'electronic version'
3) The 'access code' plus the print book

And there was no way to remove the shipping charge if you only bought the 'access code' whatever that is

So does this mean that the 'electronic version' is probably not a downloadable ebook file but rather some sort of secure website I would not be able to access once the course is done and my 'access code' expires? If so, am I likely to get text I can copy/paste into a Word document for my $39.95 plus shipping (silly! if they are going to offer an e-only option, I should not have to pay a shipping charge!)? Or do you think that 'access code' means they have it so tightly locked up that all I get is viewing and they won't let me copy/paste?

The print plus 'access code' is only $20 more. I very seldom use coursebooks again (this is not my first on-line course) but IF all I am going to get with the 'access code' is annoying webpages I can't download or read off-line, that's not going to be much good to me. Anybody have any experience with this kind of system? What kind of 'electronic version' am I reasonably looking at here? Worth it to spring for the dead tree copy too?

Donnageddon · 06-22-2009, 02:22 AM

$40 bucks for the "electonic version", or $60 bucks for the e-version + the pbook?

How much is the pbook alone?

DDHarriman · 06-22-2009, 05:28 AM

Hi

Tied eBooks online (one as to be connected and can just read the book that way) is an old business model that some publishers (NetLibrary comes to mind) had tried in the beginning of the eBook “revolution”.
All of them failed miserably mainly because people want to get the eBook and read it when and with what they want and hate to be tied to a “cord” (even if it’s wireless…).

My advice: buy the paper book, digitize it and thus get the eBook version to use at your pleasure/usefulness, and as you say, you keep on having the course book for the future if needed (now in p and e versions).

Best regards,

06-22-2009, 02:10 AM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	E-book for course, not sure how to proceed I am taking an on-line course starting this week, and tried to buy the book today. When I saw it was available in an 'ebook version' I assumed that meant PDF (groan) and thought nothing of it. But when I went on-line today, the three options were: 1) Just a print book 2) Just an 'access code' for the 'electronic version' 3) The 'access code' plus the print book And there was no way to remove the shipping charge if you only bought the 'access code' whatever that is So does this mean that the 'electronic version' is probably not a downloadable ebook file but rather some sort of secure website I would not be able to access once the course is done and my 'access code' expires? If so, am I likely to get text I can copy/paste into a Word document for my $39.95 plus shipping (silly! if they are going to offer an e-only option, I should not have to pay a shipping charge!)? Or do you think that 'access code' means they have it so tightly locked up that all I get is viewing and they won't let me copy/paste? The print plus 'access code' is only $20 more. I very seldom use coursebooks again (this is not my first on-line course) but IF all I am going to get with the 'access code' is annoying webpages I can't download or read off-line, that's not going to be much good to me. Anybody have any experience with this kind of system? What kind of 'electronic version' am I reasonably looking at here? Worth it to spring for the dead tree copy too?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
US Kindle free book: Outta the bag [SHORT STORY ONLY - NOT ENTIRE BOOK]	greencat	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	1	08-22-2010 09:42 AM
Free book - Smashwords - The Book of Adam: Autobiography of the First Human Clone	Purple Lady	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	13	08-20-2010 04:35 AM
Google Book Settlement Site Is Up; Paying Authors $60 Per Scanned Book	yagiz	News	8	04-26-2009 01:43 AM
FREE BOOK: Nate: Devils on Horseback Book 1 by Beth Williamson (Kindle)	daffy4u	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	5	07-16-2008 06:15 PM
Font Size of Sony 505 Proprietary Books Vary From Book to Book!	crusader666	Sony Reader	14	01-13-2008 07:47 PM

06-22-2009, 02:22 AM	#2
Donnageddon Now you lishen here... Posts: 2,494 Karma: 479498 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle-ish Device: Sony PRS-650. Kobo Touch, Kindle Fire	$40 bucks for the "electonic version", or $60 bucks for the e-version + the pbook? How much is the pbook alone?

06-22-2009, 05:28 AM	#3
DDHarriman Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 4380 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Almada, Portugal Device: Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS 505, Kindle DXG and Samsung Galaxy Note	Hi Tied eBooks online (one as to be connected and can just read the book that way) is an old business model that some publishers (NetLibrary comes to mind) had tried in the beginning of the eBook “revolution”. All of them failed miserably mainly because people want to get the eBook and read it when and with what they want and hate to be tied to a “cord” (even if it’s wireless…). My advice: buy the paper book, digitize it and thus get the eBook version to use at your pleasure/usefulness, and as you say, you keep on having the course book for the future if needed (now in p and e versions). Best regards,

Advert