2004-08-10
Overpriced College Text Books, Meet Bit Torrent
DATA: The book the UW uses to teach Calculus showed up on Suprnova the other day. Here's the link. (Wish we had Bit Torrent around when I was a freshman in college. We had to pay all $140.00 for the god damn tome! Spoiled kids!)
It wasn't my favorite Calculus book though. I liked the text used by the Seattle Community Colleges better: Calculus, Concepts and Contexts. It's by the same author (James Stewart) but to me seemed more approachable. However, it's not as comprehensive for the upper level stuff.
The best Calculus book ever though is "Calculus Made Easy."
And no, it ain't some newfangled dummies book. In fact, it goes all the way back to its firstaddition edition in 1946*. It has taught generations how to first understand the concepts of Calculus before moving into the sordid details; something standard text books rarely do.
* See commentor below. ¶ 9:26 PM
It wasn't my favorite Calculus book though. I liked the text used by the Seattle Community Colleges better: Calculus, Concepts and Contexts. It's by the same author (James Stewart) but to me seemed more approachable. However, it's not as comprehensive for the upper level stuff.
The best Calculus book ever though is "Calculus Made Easy."
And no, it ain't some newfangled dummies book. In fact, it goes all the way back to its first
* See commentor below. ¶ 9:26 PM
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how come that same book only costs $40 in my book shop in Ireland? Why are all the college text books really overpriced in America?
Textbooks are overpriced in America for the same reason prescription drugs are overpriced here. Textbook publishers raise prices here so they can sell books cheaper in other countries.
Also, sometimes book retailers (college bookstores and independent sellers like Follett's) collude in price-fixing schemes to jack up the prices even more. Don't say it doesn't happen, a guy here in Indianapolis just got sentenced to a month in prison for it.
Also, sometimes book retailers (college bookstores and independent sellers like Follett's) collude in price-fixing schemes to jack up the prices even more. Don't say it doesn't happen, a guy here in Indianapolis just got sentenced to a month in prison for it.
# posted by 
: 10:12 AM
: 10:12 AM
That should be "first edition," not "first addition." You've obviously got math on the mind. ;)
# posted by : 12:01 AM
: 12:01 AM
I'm glad to see college textbooks showing-up on P2P networks. That is truly an artificially-inflated market that needs to feel the sting of file-sharing.
The best calculus book ever is G.H. Hardy's A Course of Pure Mathematics published in 1908.
# posted by : 6:54 PM
: 6:54 PM
check out www.bookfaced.com This service localizes resale of textbooks to individual campuses, creating a network buyer and seller students online. Skip the bookstore, and there's no shipping involved. Good setup, too.
# posted by : 1:12 AM
: 1:12 AM
It's a shame that the textbook sharing community you were hoping for never materialized. I'm giving it a shot now, so I guess we'll see how it turns out. Please come out and support a good cause! :)
Textbook Torrents
(Sorry, not trying to spam here. Go ahead and nuke this comment if it's too much so for your tastes.)
~Geekman
Textbook Torrents
(Sorry, not trying to spam here. Go ahead and nuke this comment if it's too much so for your tastes.)
~Geekman
Damn, if only textbook torrents still worked, though I think staring at a computer screen all day would be a bitch, as it's nice to look at something that's not paper once in a while. But nice concept anyways.
You guys know of Pazap? They have a number where you can call into to shop for the best prices, look for students on your campus with the used book you're looking for, and you can sell your books too. The number is (845) 839-8333. It's a NY number, so make sure you have long distance with your cell phone provider. It's a neat way to check up on used book prices. Check em out at Pazap.com
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You guys know of Pazap? They have a number where you can call into to shop for the best prices, look for students on your campus with the used book you're looking for, and you can sell your books too. The number is (845) 839-8333. It's a NY number, so make sure you have long distance with your cell phone provider. It's a neat way to check up on used book prices. Check em out at Pazap.com
# posted by : 5:05 AM
: 5:05 AMSubscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
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