so why don't we use electronic textbooks in this day and age?

[dpopiz]

wouldn't it be

cheaper for buyers
more profitable for publishers
simpler for everybody
less wasteful of resources
more productive for students

to electronic textbooks? (could be read on an ebook reader for classroom use. except a lot of classes don't even use the textbook in class, so that wouldn't even be necessary in most cases. students could just read them on a computer at home)


so what's the reason these aren't common? do any publishes publish textbooks electronically yet? if not, why not?

 

[dabuddha]

That would be a stupid idea.

 

[mugs]

Who wants to read off a computer screen? Much easier to read off paper.

Edit: I had some books in college that came with a CD that had the book in PDF version... guess how many of those PDFs I ever opened... I'll give you a hint, it rhymes with nero.

I saw a book on Amazon.com the other day that was offered in a convenient PDF version for the very same price as the printed version.

 

[CanOWorms]

They're actually designing some sort of electronic paper where it can change the text and all that like electronic textbooks, but it'll look like a normal book page.

 

[kami333]

Can't highlight, not easy to flip through, etc.

Had a PDF textbook for gen chem, ended up printing out all the pages.

 

[0roo0roo]

screen dpi is rather lousy still. no where near printed paper, let alone laser or even inkjet. trying to read entire books on pc.. ur eyes will die... laser is like what? 600dpi? print is like... infinite... screen is um 72dpi.

 

[RagingBITCH]

e-textbooks suck ass. I had so many included with my book that I never even took a look at. A lot of your reasons are flawed btw

 

[rival]

how the hell would it be "cheaper for buyers" and "more profitable for publishers"?

 

[hdeck]

my friend that goes to vanderbilt had one of his textbooks on a cdrom last semester. he hated it.

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: hdeck
my friend that goes to vanderbilt had one of his textbooks on a cdrom last semester. he hated it.

Really? I went to Vanderbilt and never had a book on a cd

 

[NutBucket]

Bingo. I hate reading books off the screen. Forums are ok because your eyes more around a lot since the text is broken up. Even reading a long post will make my eyes hurt.

 

[shopbruin]

let's say you're in a class that you have to read at least 150 pages per week and have to be prepared to discuss the readings in class the following week.

do you want to be sitting at your computer screen reading 150 or more pages per week?

it is still much easier to have the book printed so you can easily mark it for future reference, and write all over it.

 

[IGBT]

Can't cozy up to a ebook when reading in bed...

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: rival
how the hell would it be "cheaper for buyers" and "more profitable for publishers"?

Paper + binding + printing + shipping cost money.

 

[Spoooon]

I had a class that used an etextbook for the required readings. PITA. Invariably I'd just print the pages out and read in bed or something.

edit: On the positive side, it was cheaper than getting a printed text. But there's something wrong with paying $20 for a password that would let me download the book.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: rival
how the hell would it be "cheaper for buyers" and "more profitable for publishers"?

Paper + binding + printing + shipping cost money.

+ rampant piracy = lost crazy money!

oh u know it would happen with college text books! i'm sure they are in no hurry.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: rival
how the hell would it be "cheaper for buyers" and "more profitable for publishers"?

Paper + binding + printing + shipping cost money.

+ rampant piracy = lost crazy money!

oh u know it would happen with college text books! i'm sure they are in no hurry.

Ya know, colleges will be the last holdout of paper books (besides Harlequin romances..heh).

 

[dighn]

.

 

[webnewland]

Killing your eyes is not worth the money you save.

 

[Yossarian]

there are far too many forests, they must be put to some use.

 

[digitalsm]

Id love to have etextbooks on a tablet PC, and there are some ebook readers that allow highlighting on tablet PCs.

 

[silverpig]

I actually thought of this a few years ago as the bookstore at my school is notorious for assraping students on books. (Buy a book for $150 new, sell it back to them for $40, they sell it used next year for $130). Offering up a .pdf on cd along with a book doesn't really do much good, but having an on campus hosted .pdf which students can access would be alright, where students pay only for access to the material. Problems then arise with pirating and such... PITA

 

[Dissipate]

Originally posted by: dpopiz
wouldn't it be

cheaper for buyers
more profitable for publishers

Cheaper for buyers? Hell no. Textbooks are already sold at prices that FAR exceed their printing costs. At best they would stay at the current level.

More profitable for publishers? Hell no again. Piracy would be rampant with any popular textbook they put in this format.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: silverpig
I actually thought of this a few years ago as the bookstore at my school is notorious for assraping students on books. (Buy a book for $150 new, sell it back to them for $40, they sell it used next year for $130). Offering up a .pdf on cd along with a book doesn't really do much good, but having an on campus hosted .pdf which students can access would be alright, where students pay only for access to the material. Problems then arise with pirating and such... PITA

well thats the school ass raping u. the publisher only gets money on the first sale. all further sales are pure school profit. padding the tuition costs its also why the publishers gotta keep putting out new editions so fast.

 

[JoeKing]

until tablet notebooks become cheaper, faster, and higher res. But I can see it happening. My friend in school had a tab book and I must admit it was really cool (he could highlight, bookmark, ect)....but then again he was really rich so he could afford it.

I think once everyone can afford such a computer then we MAY see electronic books become the an option. However I think theyshould always have hardcopy available to those that want that tactile feel.