4 ms·

With problem 1, wouldn't the old edition still be cheaper than the new? Or would the publisher just stop publishing the older edition? Even with new editions I'

With problem 1, wouldn't the old edition still be cheaper than the new? Or would the publisher just stop publishing the older edition? Even with new editions I've come across situations where the bookstore was having an impossible time ordering enough to meet demand. And the second...I just guess I don't understand why new editions have to be adopted so quickly sometimes. I taught myself all sorts of subjects out of used books I got at garage and library sales. Years later actually taking the classes with a brand new edition of a text, nothing's changed. Only the price..used books would be dirt cheap and the new edition would be $120. So the department assigns a book, why do they have to assign it? Kickbacks from the publisher? My question above about the publisher discontinuing the older edition? I guess I'm ultimately mad about this whole situation (and yes, I was a textbook torrents user although they never had the texts for my classes). I even had one class at a CC (I think it was anatomy) where the class itself was only somewhere around $70 but the materials and mainly the text|online access|workbook were in the $300 range. I about flipped out then.

kleevr 18y ago
>And the second... Several times in my experience the only difference between editions was that the publisher had changed the work problem (and maybe fixed some typos) for the sole purpose of making the students buy new books.
- silencio 18y ago
  Right, that's what we're saying. Nothing fundamentally huge changes in most of these editions, so the students keep getting ripped off as they need to buy new editions and old editions become harder to sell. I wonder what would happen if lots of students and faculty members from all over grouped together to refuse to buy such editions? In my dreams, but just to make a point to the publishers. I can only imagine how much of the cost of a new textbook is pure profit for the publishers and authors.
yummyfajitas 18y ago
The publisher indeed stops publishing the old version. It would be cheaper for the students that can find an old copy, who knows if they will all be able to do so? >So the department assigns a book, why do they have to assign it? Do you want to buy a new book for calc 2 if you take it with somebody besides me? Or buy a new book if you switch sections? Standardization makes sense, especially at the intro level. I'd prefer if they standardized on cheap calc books, but as I said, making that occur involves academic politics. Perhaps one day, when I've got clout...
- silencio 18y ago
  Hmm, okay, now I'm hating them more and more. >Do you want to buy a new book for calc 2 if you take it with somebody besides me? Or buy a new book if you switch sections? Well, my idea was to standardize on cheaper books, not that it should be a free-for-all (for your reason precisely). It does involve academic politics and you'd run into the problem with having a lack of books in some cases. This sucks on all sides.

kleevr 18y ago

>And the second... Several times in my experience the only difference between editions was that the publisher had changed the work problem (and maybe fixed some typos) for the sole purpose of making the students buy new books.

silencio 18y ago
Right, that's what we're saying. Nothing fundamentally huge changes in most of these editions, so the students keep getting ripped off as they need to buy new editions and old editions become harder to sell. I wonder what would happen if lots of students and faculty members from all over grouped together to refuse to buy such editions? In my dreams, but just to make a point to the publishers. I can only imagine how much of the cost of a new textbook is pure profit for the publishers and authors.

yummyfajitas 18y ago

The publisher indeed stops publishing the old version. It would be cheaper for the students that can find an old copy, who knows if they will all be able to do so? >So the department assigns a book, why do they have to assign it? Do you want to buy a new book for calc 2 if you take it with somebody besides me? Or buy a new book if you switch sections? Standardization makes sense, especially at the intro level. I'd prefer if they standardized on cheap calc books, but as I said, making that occur involves academic politics. Perhaps one day, when I've got clout...

silencio 18y ago
Hmm, okay, now I'm hating them more and more. >Do you want to buy a new book for calc 2 if you take it with somebody besides me? Or buy a new book if you switch sections? Well, my idea was to standardize on cheaper books, not that it should be a free-for-all (for your reason precisely). It does involve academic politics and you'd run into the problem with having a lack of books in some cases. This sucks on all sides.