I think that at least as much of the complaint if not more isn't about the continued revisions--frankly, there's no reason why students SHOULDN'T buy a new text instead of a used one, it's part of the cost of an education and (presumably) that text can find a place in the student's library so the learning experience isn't lost.
Instead, it is the absurdly high price of text books that makes them so outrageously expensive. I know that there are two valid reasons a text book costs more than a standard work of non-fiction, economies of scale (it's cheaper to produce a larger run of a book than a smaller one) and extensive use of pictures (four color printing is expensive), but that would justify perhaps a 50% higher rate than a comparible non-fiction work in a specialty field (i.e., $59.95 instead of $39.95), not a 400% one! I recently purchased every college professor's "perfect" book--the complete Far Side Gallery (Hooray--no more reading office doors like an idiot). The "book" was two oversized, very high quality, volumes, full color throughout, expensively bound and sold in a quality slip case. At the same time I purchased a completecollection of all of the paintings of Salvadore Dali (again, two slip cased volumes in full color, but high quality paperback instead of bound, with normal high gloss vs "coffee table book" grade pages and a sturdy cardboard slipcase) for $29.95. I don't have a single course I teach that doesn't charge more than I paid for the Far Side collection for a SINGLE textbook of far inferior production quality and a paperback text with NO color printing and cheaper production normally costs at least twice what I paid for the Dali. Since the differences in prices certainly aren't due to the outrageously high royalties paid to textbook authors (I can earn more per volume from one of my paperback books on computer topics than I could from authoring a high cost textbook), the only alternative is that the publishers see a gougeable market and GOUGE accordingly! Rick -- Rick Adams. Capella University Grand Canyon University Jackson Community College [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] "... and the only measure of your worth and your deeds will be the love you leave behind when you're gone." -Fred Small, J.D., "Everything Possible" --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: archive@jab.org To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
