tavie.com

I think the textbook industry is largely evil. (I'm speaking of publishers that churn out books specifically to be used as textbooks, not general academic presses like the one that I am leaving today.)

All these editions. Every year a new edition; every year another 50, or 80, or 100 bucks. Why does it work this way? I certainly don't understand why they have to be that expensive, but, okay, if they do, why do they have to update the editions by putting out a whole new version of largely the same text? And why do professors have to insist on the latest version-- is it specifically those changes that they stuck in in the last year? The spanking-new preface that someone whipped up to justify the new edition? How much really changes?

Okay, I accept that in the field of computers, things change extremely rapidly. The textbook for my computers class, my sister took the same class two years ago and was using the 9th edition. My teacher told us to get the 11th edition, and said it would probably be acceptable if we got a copy of the 10th. But absolutely not the 9th. (And is it in the library? No; they have the 5th edition in that horrible one-horse library.) Technology changes rapidly. I understand.

But why can't you just issue a supplemental text? Slender, cheap, lightweight, summarizing the changes from the previous edition? I'll give you ten bucks for it, and be able to hold on to my ratty old edition.

No. It doesn't work this way. No slender, cheap supplemental texts. Every year, a new version and half a week's salary down the toilet.

Students are very often strapped for cash. Some of them don't have parents with money to spare. Particularly students in my school, we're largely a broke bunch. I appreciate it when professors take that into account. But it's not their fault that textbook publishers are greedy sons of bitches.

(Thanks, Goose, for loaning me that film book. I won't get shmutz on it.)

Why are you in Tavie's head? 2:56 PM | shower me with attention