You know textbooks are out of control when...

[WolverineGator]

High schoolers should be paying for a portion of their books too. Maybe then they won't be abused so much.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

You are missing the point here. Publishers and authors make their money on the FIRST SALE. It is well established by law. Publishers do not need to release a new edition every year or two, they are just gouging the market for all it is worth (and I do say gouging, since many publishers have agreements in place where the old editions are sold back to them by the bookstore and destroyed).

No, I'm not missing any point at all. Textbook publishers have an extremely limited market made even more limited by the used book market. They fully deserve to make back the hundreds of thousands to millions in costs to create the books, plus a profit. Were they to charge less, they could not.

This has been examined over and over again. Search the web on the issue. Only simplistic fools believe the publishers and authors are gouging students.

The only gouging being done is in the used book market itself.

 

[purbeast0]

after my first semester in college, i bought 3 text books the rest of my entire college career.

for the most part, the text books are useless if you are a computer science major.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: fleshconsumed

Originally posted by: Amused
That's about all your rant is worth, too. Rather than look at the economics surrounding the issue, you simplistically blame "greed."

About the only profit mongers in this game are the used bookstores themselves. The publishers and authors are pricing the new books so high and releasing new editions faster than needed to combat the used book market. The used book market is the very reason prices are so high.

Do you think authors and publishers do not deserve to make back production costs and a profit on their work? Because of the used book market, they cannot possibly do anything other than charge the prices they do and release revised editions in an attempt to make the used books obsolete. They are not a charity.

Well, as you admitted yourself greed (or if you want a softer sounding word profits) is driving it. RIAA also feels that they deserve profits, but how many people say they are just greedy? Textbook industry is the same, they prey on a captive market with full monopoly (there are only a few publishers for college textbooks) and little to no alternative.

Plenty of book authors sell books (at least in cs/it category) for less than college books, $55 being the typical price, and for a narrower/smaller audience (seriously how many people are going to buy "C# advanced"?), and yet they don't feel the need to push out a new edition every year or two. They are making money of off it, why can't textbook authors/publishers do the same? The answer is yes, they make profit on them and a lot of it.

As for whether they deserve the money or not. In most of the cases actually no they don't. Most of the textbooks I've used were hastily written to make a quick buck, in most of the cases those books are pretty much worthless and certainly don't justify asking price. Pretty much the only reason I'm buying books is in case professor will assign problems from it.

Again, the only "greed" in the market is among used book sellers. The publishers and authors are merely trying to recoup costs and make a profit.

If you set a unit price @ $10 to a market of 2 million people to recoup costs and turn a profit, but that market suddenly dwindles to 250,000 people due to used unit sales, what else can you do but raise the price of the unit to $80?

Again, authors and publishers are not charities.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: fleshconsumed

Originally posted by: Amused
That's about all your rant is worth, too. Rather than look at the economics surrounding the issue, you simplistically blame "greed."

About the only profit mongers in this game are the used bookstores themselves. The publishers and authors are pricing the new books so high and releasing new editions faster than needed to combat the used book market. The used book market is the very reason prices are so high.

Do you think authors and publishers do not deserve to make back production costs and a profit on their work? Because of the used book market, they cannot possibly do anything other than charge the prices they do and release revised editions in an attempt to make the used books obsolete. They are not a charity.

Well, as you admitted yourself greed (or if you want a softer sounding word profits) is driving it. RIAA also feels that they deserve profits, but how many people say they are just greedy? Textbook industry is the same, they prey on a captive market with full monopoly (there are only a few publishers for college textbooks) and little to no alternative.

Plenty of book authors sell books (at least in cs/it category) for less than college books, $55 being the typical price, and for a narrower/smaller audience (seriously how many people are going to buy "C# advanced"?), and yet they don't feel the need to push out a new edition every year or two. They are making money of off it, why can't textbook authors/publishers do the same? The answer is yes, they make profit on them and a lot of it.

As for whether they deserve the money or not. In most of the cases actually no they don't. Most of the textbooks I've used were hastily written to make a quick buck, in most of the cases those books are pretty much worthless and certainly don't justify asking price. Pretty much the only reason I'm buying books is in case professor will assign problems from it.

Again, the only "greed" in the market is among used book sellers. The publishers and authors are merely trying to recoup costs and make a profit.

If you set a unit price @ $10 to a market of 2 million people to recoup costs and turn a profit, but that market suddenly dwindles to 250,000 people due to used unit sales, what else can you do but raise the price of the unit to $80?

Again, authors and publishers are not charities.

So every company that sells used goods operates on greed?

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: fleshconsumed

Originally posted by: Amused
That's about all your rant is worth, too. Rather than look at the economics surrounding the issue, you simplistically blame "greed."

About the only profit mongers in this game are the used bookstores themselves. The publishers and authors are pricing the new books so high and releasing new editions faster than needed to combat the used book market. The used book market is the very reason prices are so high.

Do you think authors and publishers do not deserve to make back production costs and a profit on their work? Because of the used book market, they cannot possibly do anything other than charge the prices they do and release revised editions in an attempt to make the used books obsolete. They are not a charity.

Well, as you admitted yourself greed (or if you want a softer sounding word profits) is driving it. RIAA also feels that they deserve profits, but how many people say they are just greedy? Textbook industry is the same, they prey on a captive market with full monopoly (there are only a few publishers for college textbooks) and little to no alternative.

Plenty of book authors sell books (at least in cs/it category) for less than college books, $55 being the typical price, and for a narrower/smaller audience (seriously how many people are going to buy "C# advanced"?), and yet they don't feel the need to push out a new edition every year or two. They are making money of off it, why can't textbook authors/publishers do the same? The answer is yes, they make profit on them and a lot of it.

As for whether they deserve the money or not. In most of the cases actually no they don't. Most of the textbooks I've used were hastily written to make a quick buck, in most of the cases those books are pretty much worthless and certainly don't justify asking price. Pretty much the only reason I'm buying books is in case professor will assign problems from it.

Again, the only "greed" in the market is among used book sellers. The publishers and authors are merely trying to recoup costs and make a profit.

If you set a unit price @ $10 to a market of 2 million people to recoup costs and turn a profit, but that market suddenly dwindles to 250,000 people due to used unit sales, what else can you do but raise the price of the unit to $80?

Again, authors and publishers are not charities.

So every company that sells used goods operates on greed?

EVERY for profit company operates on greed. while many may disagree its true.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: fleshconsumed

Originally posted by: Amused
That's about all your rant is worth, too. Rather than look at the economics surrounding the issue, you simplistically blame "greed."

About the only profit mongers in this game are the used bookstores themselves. The publishers and authors are pricing the new books so high and releasing new editions faster than needed to combat the used book market. The used book market is the very reason prices are so high.

Do you think authors and publishers do not deserve to make back production costs and a profit on their work? Because of the used book market, they cannot possibly do anything other than charge the prices they do and release revised editions in an attempt to make the used books obsolete. They are not a charity.

Well, as you admitted yourself greed (or if you want a softer sounding word profits) is driving it. RIAA also feels that they deserve profits, but how many people say they are just greedy? Textbook industry is the same, they prey on a captive market with full monopoly (there are only a few publishers for college textbooks) and little to no alternative.

Plenty of book authors sell books (at least in cs/it category) for less than college books, $55 being the typical price, and for a narrower/smaller audience (seriously how many people are going to buy "C# advanced"?), and yet they don't feel the need to push out a new edition every year or two. They are making money of off it, why can't textbook authors/publishers do the same? The answer is yes, they make profit on them and a lot of it.

As for whether they deserve the money or not. In most of the cases actually no they don't. Most of the textbooks I've used were hastily written to make a quick buck, in most of the cases those books are pretty much worthless and certainly don't justify asking price. Pretty much the only reason I'm buying books is in case professor will assign problems from it.

Again, the only "greed" in the market is among used book sellers. The publishers and authors are merely trying to recoup costs and make a profit.

If you set a unit price @ $10 to a market of 2 million people to recoup costs and turn a profit, but that market suddenly dwindles to 250,000 people due to used unit sales, what else can you do but raise the price of the unit to $80?

Again, authors and publishers are not charities.

So every company that sells used goods operates on greed?

No. But bookstores are notorious for buying used textbooks at extremely low prices from broke college students, then charging nearly the full new text book price.

Actually, you'll note that I put "greed" in quotes. I don't much believe in greed but I do know gouging when I see it.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: fleshconsumed

Originally posted by: Amused
That's about all your rant is worth, too. Rather than look at the economics surrounding the issue, you simplistically blame "greed."

About the only profit mongers in this game are the used bookstores themselves. The publishers and authors are pricing the new books so high and releasing new editions faster than needed to combat the used book market. The used book market is the very reason prices are so high.

Do you think authors and publishers do not deserve to make back production costs and a profit on their work? Because of the used book market, they cannot possibly do anything other than charge the prices they do and release revised editions in an attempt to make the used books obsolete. They are not a charity.

Well, as you admitted yourself greed (or if you want a softer sounding word profits) is driving it. RIAA also feels that they deserve profits, but how many people say they are just greedy? Textbook industry is the same, they prey on a captive market with full monopoly (there are only a few publishers for college textbooks) and little to no alternative.

Plenty of book authors sell books (at least in cs/it category) for less than college books, $55 being the typical price, and for a narrower/smaller audience (seriously how many people are going to buy "C# advanced"?), and yet they don't feel the need to push out a new edition every year or two. They are making money of off it, why can't textbook authors/publishers do the same? The answer is yes, they make profit on them and a lot of it.

As for whether they deserve the money or not. In most of the cases actually no they don't. Most of the textbooks I've used were hastily written to make a quick buck, in most of the cases those books are pretty much worthless and certainly don't justify asking price. Pretty much the only reason I'm buying books is in case professor will assign problems from it.

Again, the only "greed" in the market is among used book sellers. The publishers and authors are merely trying to recoup costs and make a profit.

If you set a unit price @ $10 to a market of 2 million people to recoup costs and turn a profit, but that market suddenly dwindles to 250,000 people due to used unit sales, what else can you do but raise the price of the unit to $80?

Again, authors and publishers are not charities.

So every company that sells used goods operates on greed?

No. But bookstores are notorious for buying used textbooks at extremely low prices from broke college students, then charging nearly the full new text book price.

Actually, you'll note that I put "greed" in quotes. I don't much believe in greed but I do know gouging when I see it.

I don't see how it's any different. Any place where you can sell used goods buys low and sells high. It's a trivial process.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Amused

No. But bookstores are notorious for buying used textbooks at extremely low prices from broke college students, then charging nearly the full new text book price.

Actually, you'll note that I put "greed" in quotes. I don't much believe in greed but I do know gouging when I see it.

seems to me that the bookstores have figured out how to make a very tidy profit.



<--- stopped selling his books back years ago, i refuse to sell a book i paid $80 for, for only $10.

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: WolverineGator
High schoolers should be paying for a portion of their books too. Maybe then they won't be abused so much.

Should they pay for "tuition" too?

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

You are missing the point here. Publishers and authors make their money on the FIRST SALE. It is well established by law. Publishers do not need to release a new edition every year or two, they are just gouging the market for all it is worth (and I do say gouging, since many publishers have agreements in place where the old editions are sold back to them by the bookstore and destroyed).

No, I'm not missing any point at all. Textbook publishers have an extremely limited market made even more limited by the used book market. They fully deserve to make back the hundreds of thousands to millions in costs to create the books, plus a profit. Were they to charge less, they could not.

This has been examined over and over again. Search the web on the issue. Only simplistic fools believe the publishers and authors are gouging students.

The only gouging being done is in the used book market itself.

Amused,
A publisher always has costs (royalties, marketing, printing, administrative, etc) associated with every book they publish. The only way to recover this is through the profits from the first sale. This is very well established in US law (I believe it went all the way to the Supreme Court, but I could be wrong).

Now, there are two ways a publisher can increase their returns. The first is to raise the cost of the book itself. Instead of charging $80 for something, they can charge $150. This is a (fairly) common practice and the way it should be done.

The other way is to sell new editions every year. We are all well aware that new editions very, very rarely have any significant amount of new/changed content. So why are they publishing them? The answer is to get more money. This is where people have a problem. The problem is not that they are making money, but that they are doing it in a way that is completely unethical.

 

[Extelleron]

Originally posted by: WolverineGator
High schoolers should be paying for a portion of their books too. Maybe then they won't be abused so much.

They already do pay for the books. You pay for the books, I pay for the books.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

You are missing the point here. Publishers and authors make their money on the FIRST SALE. It is well established by law. Publishers do not need to release a new edition every year or two, they are just gouging the market for all it is worth (and I do say gouging, since many publishers have agreements in place where the old editions are sold back to them by the bookstore and destroyed).

No, I'm not missing any point at all. Textbook publishers have an extremely limited market made even more limited by the used book market. They fully deserve to make back the hundreds of thousands to millions in costs to create the books, plus a profit. Were they to charge less, they could not.

This has been examined over and over again. Search the web on the issue. Only simplistic fools believe the publishers and authors are gouging students.

The only gouging being done is in the used book market itself.

Amused,
A publisher always has costs (royalties, marketing, printing, administrative, etc) associated with every book they publish. The only way to recover this is through the profits from the first sale. This is very well established in US law (I believe it went all the way to the Supreme Court, but I could be wrong).

Now, there are two ways a publisher can increase their returns. The first is to raise the cost of the book itself. Instead of charging $80 for something, they can charge $150. This is a (fairly) common practice and the way it should be done.

The other way is to sell new editions every year. We are all well aware that new editions very, very rarely have any significant amount of new/changed content. So why are they publishing them? The answer is to get more money. This is where people have a problem. The problem is not that they are making money, but that they are doing it in a way that is completely unethical.

Why not do both when you have such a limited market?

Again, if you search and read up on it, the price of textbooks has increased along with the rise of used book sales. And so has the book revisions.

Look, in such a limited market once the market is saturated with used books, the publisher cannot make any more sales on new books. Therefore revisions are the only way to stay in business and keep selling books. You'd do the same damn thing to feed your family.

 

[RaiderJ]

College textbooks are the bigger scam since I've never fallen for the Nigerian one.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

You are missing the point here. Publishers and authors make their money on the FIRST SALE. It is well established by law. Publishers do not need to release a new edition every year or two, they are just gouging the market for all it is worth (and I do say gouging, since many publishers have agreements in place where the old editions are sold back to them by the bookstore and destroyed).

No, I'm not missing any point at all. Textbook publishers have an extremely limited market made even more limited by the used book market. They fully deserve to make back the hundreds of thousands to millions in costs to create the books, plus a profit. Were they to charge less, they could not.

This has been examined over and over again. Search the web on the issue. Only simplistic fools believe the publishers and authors are gouging students.

The only gouging being done is in the used book market itself.

Amused,
A publisher always has costs (royalties, marketing, printing, administrative, etc) associated with every book they publish. The only way to recover this is through the profits from the first sale. This is very well established in US law (I believe it went all the way to the Supreme Court, but I could be wrong).

Now, there are two ways a publisher can increase their returns. The first is to raise the cost of the book itself. Instead of charging $80 for something, they can charge $150. This is a (fairly) common practice and the way it should be done.

The other way is to sell new editions every year. We are all well aware that new editions very, very rarely have any significant amount of new/changed content. So why are they publishing them? The answer is to get more money. This is where people have a problem. The problem is not that they are making money, but that they are doing it in a way that is completely unethical.

Why not do both when you have such a limited market?

Again, if you search and read up on it, the price of textbooks has increased along with the rise of used book sales. And so has the book revisions.

Look, in such a limited market once the market is saturated with used books, the publisher cannot make any more sales on new books. Therefore revisions are the only way to stay in business and keep selling books. You'd do the same damn thing to feed your family.

I might kill to feed my family too, but that doesn't make it right.

 

[PrinceofWands]

I average about 10-15 books a semester, though I've had more than twice that many before. Fortunately most of them aren't as much as medical texts and some of the other sciences. Still it can get up close to $1000 a semester.

 

[Jawo]

well rent+utilities was <$350 (split 3 ways) so I regularly spent more on textbooks than I did on rent.

benefits of going to a school in the middle of nowhere!

 

[rocadelpunk]

small publishers got bought out by all the big ones...well something happened!

I look at all my dad's old math/engineering texts

he paid 5-15bucks for excellent books.

Same thing now costs 100+...oh boy i get a cd though! :roll:


just as an example:

Taking the book right next to me...


"Physics For Students of Science and Engineering
Combined Edition Halliday Resnick
John Wiley & Sons, Inc."

Copyright 1960,62

Chapter 1: Physical Measurement
Chapter 2: Vectors
Chapter 3: Motion in One Dimension
Chapter 4: Motion in a plane
Chapter 5: Particle Dynamics 1
Chapter 6: Particle Dynamics 2
Chapter 7: Work and Energy
Chapter 8: Conservation of Energy
Chapter 9: Conservation of Linear Momentum
Chapter 10: Collisions
Chapter 11: Rotational Kinematics
Chapter 12: Rotational Dynamics
Chapter 13: Conservation of Angular Momentum
Chapter 14: Statics of Rigid Bodies
Chapter 15: Oscillations
Chapter 16: Gravitation
Chapter 17: Fluid Statics
Chapter 18: Fluid Dynamics
Chapter 19: Waves in Elastic Media
Chapter 20: Sound Waves
Chapter 21: Temperature
Chapter 22: Heat and the First Law of Thermodynamics
Chapter 23: Kinetic Theory of Gases 1
Chapter 24: Kinetic Theory of Gases 2
Chapter 25: Entropy and the Second law of Thermodynamics
Chapter 26: Charge and Matter
Chapter 27: Electric Field
Chapter 28: Gauss's Law
Chapter 29: Electric Potential
Chapter 30: Capacitors and Dielectrics
Chapter 31: Current and Resistance
Chapter 32: Electromotive Force and Circuits
Chapter 33: The Magnetic Field
Chapter 34: Ampere's Law
Chapter 35: Faraday's Law
Chapter 36: Inductance
Chapter 37: Magnetic properties of matter
Chapter 38: Electromagnetic Oscillations
Chapter 39: Electromagnetic Waves
Chapter 40: Nature and propagation of Light
Chapter 41: Reflection and Refraction - plane waves and plane surfaces
Chapter 42: reflection and refraction - spherical waves and spherical surfaces
Chapter 43: Interferece
Chapter 44: Diffraction
Chapter 45: Gratings and Spectra
Chapter 46: Polarization
Chapter 47: Light and Quantum Physics
Chapter 48: Waves and Particles

1108 pages not including index etc...

Cost $12.35 and it still looks brand new..hardcover

 

[0]

http://firstandsecond.com/

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: rocadelpunk
small publishers got bought out by all the big ones...well something happened!

I look at all my dad's old math/engineering texts

he paid 5-15bucks for excellent books.

Same thing now costs 100+...oh boy i get a cd though! :roll:


just as an example:

Taking the book right next to me...


"Physics For Students of Science and Engineering
Combined Edition Halliday Resnick
John Wiley & Sons, Inc."

Copyright 1960,62

Chapter 1: Physical Measurement
Chapter 2: Vectors
Chapter 3: Motion in One Dimension
Chapter 4: Motion in a plane
Chapter 5: Particle Dynamics 1
Chapter 6: Particle Dynamics 2
Chapter 7: Work and Energy
Chapter 8: Conservation of Energy
Chapter 9: Conservation of Linear Momentum
Chapter 10: Collisions
Chapter 11: Rotational Kinematics
Chapter 12: Rotational Dynamics
Chapter 13: Conservation of Angular Momentum
Chapter 14: Statics of Rigid Bodies
Chapter 15: Oscillations
Chapter 16: Gravitation
Chapter 17: Fluid Statics
Chapter 18: Fluid Dynamics
Chapter 19: Waves in Elastic Media
Chapter 20: Sound Waves
Chapter 21: Temperature
Chapter 22: Heat and the First Law of Thermodynamics
Chapter 23: Kinetic Theory of Gases 1
Chapter 24: Kinetic Theory of Gases 2
Chapter 25: Entropy and the Second law of Thermodynamics
Chapter 26: Charge and Matter
Chapter 27: Electric Field
Chapter 28: Gauss's Law
Chapter 29: Electric Potential
Chapter 30: Capacitors and Dielectrics
Chapter 31: Current and Resistance
Chapter 32: Electromotive Force and Circuits
Chapter 33: The Magnetic Field
Chapter 34: Ampere's Law
Chapter 35: Faraday's Law
Chapter 36: Inductance
Chapter 37: Magnetic properties of matter
Chapter 38: Electromagnetic Oscillations
Chapter 39: Electromagnetic Waves
Chapter 40: Nature and propagation of Light
Chapter 41: Reflection and Refraction - plane waves and plane surfaces
Chapter 42: reflection and refraction - spherical waves and spherical surfaces
Chapter 43: Interferece
Chapter 44: Diffraction
Chapter 45: Gratings and Spectra
Chapter 46: Polarization
Chapter 47: Light and Quantum Physics
Chapter 48: Waves and Particles

1108 pages not including index etc...

Cost $12.35 and it still looks brand new..hardcover

Note that,

a. Your father still has his book. It was far more common for students to keep their books years ago. Now the vast majority are sold to used book stores.

b. That book was $80 when adjusted for inflation.

Again, any search on the web will show that the price of textbooks is merely a reaction to the extreme undercutting of the market due to used book stores.

 

[KarmaPolice]

just use the damn library. If they dont have the book in for you to take out in your library you can get it from another one. And guess what..thats close to free!

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: rocadelpunk
small publishers got bought out by all the big ones...well something happened!

I look at all my dad's old math/engineering texts

he paid 5-15bucks for excellent books.

Same thing now costs 100+...oh boy i get a cd though! :roll:


just as an example:

Taking the book right next to me...


"Physics For Students of Science and Engineering
Combined Edition Halliday Resnick
John Wiley & Sons, Inc."

Copyright 1960,62

Chapter 1: Physical Measurement
Chapter 2: Vectors
Chapter 3: Motion in One Dimension
Chapter 4: Motion in a plane
Chapter 5: Particle Dynamics 1
Chapter 6: Particle Dynamics 2
Chapter 7: Work and Energy
Chapter 8: Conservation of Energy
Chapter 9: Conservation of Linear Momentum
Chapter 10: Collisions
Chapter 11: Rotational Kinematics
Chapter 12: Rotational Dynamics
Chapter 13: Conservation of Angular Momentum
Chapter 14: Statics of Rigid Bodies
Chapter 15: Oscillations
Chapter 16: Gravitation
Chapter 17: Fluid Statics
Chapter 18: Fluid Dynamics
Chapter 19: Waves in Elastic Media
Chapter 20: Sound Waves
Chapter 21: Temperature
Chapter 22: Heat and the First Law of Thermodynamics
Chapter 23: Kinetic Theory of Gases 1
Chapter 24: Kinetic Theory of Gases 2
Chapter 25: Entropy and the Second law of Thermodynamics
Chapter 26: Charge and Matter
Chapter 27: Electric Field
Chapter 28: Gauss's Law
Chapter 29: Electric Potential
Chapter 30: Capacitors and Dielectrics
Chapter 31: Current and Resistance
Chapter 32: Electromotive Force and Circuits
Chapter 33: The Magnetic Field
Chapter 34: Ampere's Law
Chapter 35: Faraday's Law
Chapter 36: Inductance
Chapter 37: Magnetic properties of matter
Chapter 38: Electromagnetic Oscillations
Chapter 39: Electromagnetic Waves
Chapter 40: Nature and propagation of Light
Chapter 41: Reflection and Refraction - plane waves and plane surfaces
Chapter 42: reflection and refraction - spherical waves and spherical surfaces
Chapter 43: Interferece
Chapter 44: Diffraction
Chapter 45: Gratings and Spectra
Chapter 46: Polarization
Chapter 47: Light and Quantum Physics
Chapter 48: Waves and Particles

1108 pages not including index etc...

Cost $12.35 and it still looks brand new..hardcover

Note that,

a. Your father still has his book. It was far more common for students to keep their books years ago. Now the vast majority are sold to used book stores.

b. That book was $80 when adjusted for inflation.

Again, any search on the web will show that the price of textbooks is merely a reaction to the extreme undercutting of the market due to used book stores.

$15 in 1960 = $95 today :Q

I guess that $5 is for the cd

 

[darthsidious]

Yes, it covers more information, and that it's more rigorous. The only reason I see for using it is that there just aren't that many books for a Honours EM course. But you hav to admit, the book isn't that well presented, terrible diagrams,etc. I like some of the explanations and the fact that it's more rigerous Maybe I'm just biased, becasue I was studying from excellent lecutre notes, which I recommend using if you ever study this subject, from here. Scott Huges Lecture notes

Originally posted by: Parasitic

Originally posted by: darthsidious
That's why I love advanced classes/grad classes. Most often, the prof is unhappy with the coverage in most books, and writes up his own course notes, which you can buy for a fraction of the price (between $10-20).

Seriously though, I'm taking a digital communications class, and Bob Gallagar(A legend in the field) has written a set of course notes that might possibly be the best textbook I'v ever read. And they cost me <$20.

On the other hand, I remember paying $167 for a copy of E.M Purcell, an Horrible E&M textbook as a freshman.

To the OP: have you tried looking for used books/international paperback editions. They can be substantially cheaper.

Hey Edward Purcell was awesome compared to the crap written by Giancoli in many many ways.

 

[Slew Foot]

The most expensive book I have is Miller's Anesthesia which runs around $700. But I got it comped by a drug company.

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: KarthVader
What's the most anyone has spent on textbooks?

The most I've spent was around $800 in a semester.

I spent ~$875 for one semester of books. I am a structural engineering major.