Stopping text book sharing

[Potemkin]

http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-...-books-120610/

Anti-Piracy Patent Stops Students From Sharing Textbooks

A new patent granted this week aims to stop students from sharing textbooks, both off and online. The patent awarded to economics professor Joseph Henry Vogel hopes to embed the publishing world even further into academia. Under his proposal, students can only participate in courses when they buy an online access code which allows them to use the course book. No access code means a lower grade, all in the best interests of science.
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The idea is simple. As part of a course, students will have to participate in a web-based discussion board, an activity which counts towards their final grade. To gain access to the board students need a special code, which they get by buying the associated textbook.

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The system ensures that students can’t follow courses with pirated textbooks, as tens of thousands are doing today. Lending books from a library or friend, or buying books from older students, isn’t allowed either. At least, not when the copyright holders don’t get their share.

Vogel’s idea leaves the option open for students to use second-hand textbooks, but they still have to buy an access code at a reduced price. This means publishers can charge multiple times for a book that was sold only once.

Students who don’t pay can’t participate in the course and therefore get a lower grade.

[Twoolf]

I have mixed feelings on this. Certainly authors should be rewarded for their work, which, in the case of textbooks, can take years to complete. By the same token, charging a student that buys a book an access charge is simply wrong. I like books. I never got rid of textbooks unless it was one of those general studies courses we didn't want to take or really needed.

My daughter is starting her graduate studies, and I found her books online for much reduced prices from the college bookstore. One I got literally for one penny plus shipping (reasonable). But, it was a used book and the author had already been paid. To charge her an access fee for a book she owns is wrong.

[Malcolm]

"Greed is Good"............. and now its legal

[Twoolf]

Greed is fine as long as it requires some effort on your part to be compensated. Anything else is legal stealing. I'm greedy as hell, but I work to fulfill my greed.

[dyrt]

I have two words for Vogel; Kahn Academy

[rb.]

What bull. Spending more time on a course, online, to justify someone's money grab. As if education doesn't already cost enough, and require enough time. Some of my courses in university required 6 or 7 books, and only a small portion of some of them. One book had only one brief reading used...about 5 pages. That was about $60 right there.