What is Digg?Sponsored by Dragon Age: Origins
Follow the Dragon Age: Origins development team on Twitter view!
twitter.com/DragonAge - EA presents BioWare's new dark fantasy epic Dragon Age: Origins. '9/10' from Game Informer.
131 Comments
- brianjameskirk, on 10/12/2007, -15/+214I totally support publishers screwing over students with new editions since concepts of Algebra have changed so rapidly in the past few decades. I buy a new book every 6 months just to keep up!
- nTensify, on 10/12/2007, -0/+132There are a lot of free textbooks out there, some of them are better than others, but a lot are quickly becoming very good.
Plain and simple, everyone should have access to education, money shouldn't dictate how educated someone can become.
Some other free books:
http://www.physicsforfree.com/ (three physics books from beginning physics to general relativity).
http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1.html (six physics books, variety of topics)
http://www.motionmountain.net/ (notably one of the best free physics books ever "published").
http://www.math.wisc.edu/~keisler/calc.html (intro to calc book under Creative Commons)
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/ (a really cool free circuit design book I ran across a few years ago when I was leaving college).
http://www.gutenberg.org/ (obligatory gutenburg link, aggrigator of books out of copyright or otherwise set free).
(there are plenty more, but to spare you the boredom of a huge list here... go to google and search for digital library books, you'll have a few million hits to look through ;) ) - pauledgarm, on 10/12/2007, -1/+87I am a teacher and this looks like a good book to me. I think students can learn using this as a textbook
- ShrimpCrackers, on 10/12/2007, -0/+36These guys are Heroes! I wish there was something for College math textbooks though. I've seen some come out with a new edition every year and they cost hundreds.
- mDot, on 10/12/2007, -3/+37@addicted44: Are you ***** retarded?
Math = Math.
There is no justification for repackaging millennium old concepts and equations and selling that package for an amount greater then last years. Students have been getting the short end of this stick for years and its about time something was done about it. - tommajor, on 10/12/2007, -8/+41But is it free as in freedom? They should make it GFDL.
- nTensify, on 10/12/2007, -0/+30Books by Wiki? Brilliant.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks_portal (yeah, it's been thought of and implemented). - ShrimpCrackers, on 10/12/2007, -0/+30There is also the Open Courseware series, free and complete with materials, tests, and everything you need online. Some even come with video casts of the classes, others come with podcasts!
Open Courseware Class Finder: http://opencontent.org/ocwfinder/
MIT's OCW http://ocw.mit.edu
From Wikipedia modified...
NORTH AMERICA
* Carnegie Mellon: Open Learning Initiative http://www.cmu.edu/oli/
* Foothill-De Anza Community College District: Sofia Project http://sofia.fhda.edu/
* Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: JHSPH OpenCourseWare http://ocw.jhsph.edu/
* Tufts University: Tufts OCW http://ocw.tufts.edu/
* University of California, Berkeley: UC Berkeley on iTunes U http://itunes.berkeley.edu/
* Utah State University: USU OpenCourseWare http://ocw.usu.edu/Index/ECIndex_view
* International Institute of Management IIM: IIM OpenCourseWare http://opencourseware.iim-edu.org/
EUROPE
* Universia.net is a consortium with more than 700 member universities in Spain, Portugal and Latin America that has translated many MIT courses into Spanish and Portuguese: Universia OpenCourseWare http://mit.ocw.universia.net/
* École Ouverte (Open School), in French (ENS-LSH). http://ecole-ouverte.ens-lsh.fr/ - morrislevy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+25BOUT TIME! Now lets see this applied for COLLEGE LEVEL TEXTS. :(
I got like no money for textbooks. :O - pbh101, on 10/12/2007, -0/+25I tutor High School math myself and having a quasi-open-source book like this really helps with lesson plans and problem sets. I just grab clips with OneNote (very good software from MS, btw) and export into PDF with CuteWriter.
- Drealoth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+19My physics textbook in first year was the worst. Between editions, all that they did was switch the questions around - even the questions with mistakes in them.
- terminalpariah, on 10/12/2007, -0/+18Textbook publishers freaked out when the Xerox was invented. They predicted that they'd all be out of business in a few years.
Now anyone can walk down to Staples (or even their school copy shop) and make a high-quality copy of a textbook for a few dollars. Still, the textbook companies are more profitable than ever. And it turns out that what's threatening them is a free alternative to their useless books.
I think the RIAA and MPAA could learn something from this. - MikeKnoop, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16I'm a firm beleiver and user of Wikipedia and other wiki's... but you can just imagine the bad press it would get?
Open source works for software, why can't it work for knowledge?
-Mike - madmathmatician, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16thankxz guys! math should be free!
- eclectro, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15Unfortunately because of the continued copyright extensions, no timely (aka 20th century) textbooks have been allowed to enter the public domain. So there is not a wealth of teaching material to help teachers teach their classes in a modern enviroment.
Of course, people managed to learn algebra in the old west. But it would have been more difficult to teach without been able to photocopy handouts for homework, quizzes, and tests which I suppose all modern textbooks provide. - yellowperil, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14"In my opinion, textbooks need to be done away with, yes [with. Yes] it tells and shows you what to do, but its lacking the qualitys[qualities] to be considered interesting"
What can you learn from a text book? Proper grammar and spelling for one. - TheIronBadger, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13"With the current price of a new algebra textbook approaching $110"
Textbooks approaching 110$? That's not much at all! 150$ is the average price of an science or engineering textbook. I had one where the publishers thought "Students don't want to carry around a heavy textbook" so they provided a CD with the supplementary chapters we needed. Unfortunatly they gave us a demo CD with the book by accident so we had to wait several weeks to change it for the real one. This was the most idiotic way of doing it. On top of the fact that it was awkward working with the chapters they provided us on CD they took a book that had very few errors in it and reprinted the same thing with tons of errors in formulas. It's ridiculous that when we pay 150$ they can't even get the errors fixed (since they just use the same text and slap a new cover on it every couple years). The most they usually change is changing the question numbers so that we have to buy a new book or we won't have the right question numbers when we do an assignment. It's highway robbery and it's really about time that the government steps in and puts a stop to this, it's dragging down the education system and taking advantage of people who are generally in debt. - IbnDigg, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13thanks for the links!
- garyinthehouse, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10The reason why text book companies routinely make new editions is because they dont make any profit on used books. Thats why there is a new edition of calculus every 2-3 years even though the fundamentals of calculus was set in stone years and years ago.
- carpespasm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8or how about any complex subject that has way too much information to memorize. say for instance medicine, law, programming, mechanical engineering?
- echimu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8http://www.maththinking.com/boat/mathIndex.html - Tons of links to maths stuff on net :)
Also links to Free Computer Books, Tutorials & Lecture Notes http://www.maththinking.com/boat/mathIndex.html - thecheat1, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8I'm looking for the age where everyone in class (colleges especially) comes in the first day with their laptop and plugs in to the network and dl's all the syllabus' and textbooks right there. A completely digital learning experience, that's what I long for :-)
- Deschain, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Brak: You're assuming that the teachers would be able to teach at all without a text book. No offense to the OP, but a good deal of the education majors I know, simply could not do it. I'd rather have the textbooks around without the creativity than no learning at all. It's a sad world.
- eclectro, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I think the question needs to be asked why textbooks are not priced the same as Dover edition books. Dover has managed to put many interesting textbooks in hardcopy inexpensively.
It all most makes you wonder where the "free market forces" are for textbooks that makes all other books affordable. - CharlesDarwin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Why show up to class when you can download the lectures as podcasts and take the tests from the comfort of your own home? ;)
- Matadon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Aren't there a whole bunch of Wiki textbooks?
My big problem with most Wiki software is that there isn't a good way to get formatted PDFs out of the bastard thing! Computers are fine and good, but it's a hell of a lot easier for a teacher (or often a student) to drag a few sheets of dead tree around with them. - tuartboy, on 10/12/2007, -13/+19Insert smartass remark about the difference between "your" and "you're" and how comical the above comment now seems.
- quanta88, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5@gentryfunk
That may be so, but we've also seen situations where, say, Calculus 7th Edition textbooks where the only changes from 6th Edition are a shiny new cover and Chapters 4 and 2 are switched.
There is a growing frustration among students and schools in that they must buy a new edition plus the accompanying teacher guides plus student workbooks far too frequently due to often arbitrary changes seemingly designed to force repurchase.
At the same time, publishers seem unwilling to embrace online or electronic versions which would facilitate faster delivery of changes, customizable curriculae and if they do, there are often DRM'ed or crippled in such a way they are useless unless you go and buy the book in processed tree carcass form. - Matadon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5It's not just money; I really hate that I've got to drag around a textbook (or two) for every damn class! I'd much rather just have five or six sheets of paper for the current chapter for each class, and tote that around while I'm on campus, but I'm not about to cut the spines out of my texts.
- Sundyr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5It's amazing how many people you find that are Sarcasm Impaired....
- ProfessorRiffs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5@tyrione:
Like any of that ***** even *remotely* matters. This is what Americans need, FREE EDUCATION. This stuff is a godsend. More and more Americans are less and less educated every day because of rising tuition costs, book costs, etc. Getting hung up on the particulars rather than hailing a company for being brave enough to stand up and do the right thing is about as useful as having an ***** on your elbow. - nTensify, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5The Organic Chem Wikibook is pretty good (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Organic_Chemistry ), as for general chemistry, use one of the electronic/digital library indicies, and you'll find hundreds, if not thousands of them, in various stages of completeness.
The hard sciences are the easiest places to find good books on, simply because they're less variant. Good luck finding a good History book, for example. - vprice509, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5"...effected by corporate greed"
My textbook says this line should read, "Affected by corporate greed". - danlovejoy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8Oh yes, the government should step in. They never screw anything up.
- sajuuk, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I work in a college bookstore (in fact, im at work right now) and i agree, the prices are way to high. The problem with the free textbook concept is getting teachers to use them, since i think some teachers have agreements with textbook companies that they use their books and get free stuff. Its all a big conspiracy xD
- 5blocksfree, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I'd think it would be awesome to see the demise of this racket (textbook publishing). Next up, of course, will be dealing with schools that insist on using e-texts. They're even more insidious, because they're not sold, but licensed, and the license typically expires after a specific duration. Why students put up with this crap, Ill never know.
- patc6, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3coldthing try a $250.00 Biology book. The prices for books are insane. Recently I picked up a book on C-Sharp and spent $110.00. The truly sad thing is most books, including none text books, are poorly written too.
What ever happened to free knowledge? This only furthers my suspicions that the rich want to send the people of this planet back to the time of lords and peasants. - Grayfox777, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"1. You get what you pay for."
Sorry.... but that just isn't always true.
"2. There is no such thing as a free lunch."
Maybe there isn't, but there should be! - yahoofrom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3textbook prices are absolute nonsense.
- budsstud26, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3They're already selling (renting) digital copies that expire, but they're usually priced at about 75% of the cost of the print version.
The textbook industry in general is one of the most corrupt out there. They've got a stranglehold on (poor) students. For example, many campus bookstores will not release the book lists until the day classes start in order to prevent students from buying copies online. Book buybacks on campus are an absolute joke, with those books being sold at an average markup of over 35%.
The problems in this industry are a result of the actions of each level, from the publishers, wholesalers, buyers, campus bookstores, etc - bcrowell, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Also:
http://theassayer.org
http://textbookrevolution.org - warofwrath, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4"We would like to be able to post the video lectures, but the high resolution Betacam masters will not even stream properly on a broadband connection."
Hmm, I guess someone has never heard of bittorrent. You'd think that math geniuses would keep up with technology better. - TheIronBadger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3That also does not explain the fact that the publishers will release new "editions" of the book every few years. They take the same book and put a new cover on it. In one book between the 8th and 9th edition they switched the question numbers so that the professors assignments correspond to the new one only and introduced errors is the text everywhere. Math formulas in the front of the textbook suddenly were wrong as well as many in the text of the book itself. My professor assured us that the previous edition had been "perfect" and they had just screwed it up. This is a different book from the one I referred to in a comment above.
The biggest question I have is should the publishers be held accountable for these errors? My degree is in engineering. Do you want your cars, bridges and buildings built based on incorrect formulas? Who should be responsible?
The other question is, how much research and writing goes into changing the cover of the textbook? If you don't believe that is what they do just go to your local engineering faculty, find their textbooks and compare them with old editions that are in the library. The text will only be rewritten after 3 or 4 edition changes (new pretty picture). How can you claim it cost money to do so?
You can claim that this raises test scores, but I really think this is due to better professors. I have had some terrible, terrible professors but I have also had some great ones. I have noticed that most new professors (less than about 15 years teaching is what I will call new for this) have taken a great interest in their students. When they start teaching a class they ask for feedback and try to improve their teaching. With the introduction of audio visual and multimedia to the classroom many professors now use PowerPoint to teach. It has the advantage of being clear and legible and the added bonus that the professor can post it on a website afterwards. Students now have access to the Internet as well, we can now find additional questions and notes from other schools as well. If we need more practice just grab the assignment that another school assigns and grab the solutions after it is due.
Any improvement in marks can be attributed to those that deserve it, our professors. forget the publishers. The only thing I have found from them is confusion. - neko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3assisted by the reverse vampires.
- budsstud26, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3And yet, America still lags behind much of the developed world in education.
I'm sorry, but I'm going to need to see some hard numbers showing the percentage of revenue that gets plowed into research. I'd also love to see some statistics showing that test scores and "comprehension" (whatever that means) has improved over the last 50-100 years and something that convincingly ties that increase to the "research" that HM and other big publishers are conducting.
Please. - Jayeugene, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Anyone have all of the books from that site in a zip file? or is that against the site's policy?
- denjin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Educational book prices are a total scam.
Find an American college text book, and get the price on Amazon.com. Then, go to www.amazon.co.uk and look for the book. The price will be LESS, even when you convert back from pounds into dollars. It's a total load of crap. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Give away free text books on a website, attract millions of unique visitors, sell advertising, get rich. That is a great idea, they still make their cash and students get free books.
- chownrus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3A 300 level Advanced Calculus text (creative commons)
http://www.mth.pdx.edu/%7Eerdman/PTAC/PTAClicensepage.html
he even includes the TeX file. - bayonetblaha, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Textbooks are way too expensive. I can't believe I didn't think of this before I bought books!
-
Show 51 - 100 of 131 discussions
The Digg Toolbar for Firefox lets you Digg, submit content, and keep track of Digg even when you're not on the Digg site. Download the official 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is