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TechnographTextbook piracy has arrived
By Staff editorial, The Indiana Daily Student (Indiana University)
Posted: 7/15/08 Section: Opinion Columns
You knew it was coming. Just as illegal music downloading began years ago, so has illegal textbook downloading. One such Web site that provides this service is the aptly-named Textbook Torrents, which supplies reportedly more than 5,000 different textbooks in digital PDF format. Just like any other torrent, the books can be downloaded for free, albeit illegally.
But as piracy of textbooks brings a small tear to the Editorial Board's eye, it's the publishing company's response that makes us sick.
When the situation worsens to the level of music piracy, some scholars have reported that companies are willing to go as far as release new versions of books every single semester, changing only miniscule portions that go unnoticed.
Although the Editorial Board does not promote stealing, we fail to see any good that could come out of a decision like this. There are too many factors at play here that could send the industry into a direction neither students nor the publishing companies can afford.
First of all, any business decision that puts an increased burden on consumers will fail to discourage piracy. The textbook industry should take a few pointers from the music industry before any rash decisions are made - the situation isn't much different here.
Consumers are simply fed up with paying exasperating amounts of money for textbooks they may use a handful of times or possibly not at all, much as they were with paying $17 for a CD that includes three worthwhile tracks.
Wrong or not, students can't handle participating in a market in which it appears there are no alternatives to high prices for seldom-used products. Although buying used books online provides a viable option, it's quite easy to see why any normal college student would be tempted by something that's both free and more accessible, thanks to the digital format.
It's just like the music industry; when illegal online sources like Napster popped up, they didn't just provide free music, they gave people a choice in what they wanted.
But as piracy of textbooks brings a small tear to the Editorial Board's eye, it's the publishing company's response that makes us sick.
When the situation worsens to the level of music piracy, some scholars have reported that companies are willing to go as far as release new versions of books every single semester, changing only miniscule portions that go unnoticed.
Although the Editorial Board does not promote stealing, we fail to see any good that could come out of a decision like this. There are too many factors at play here that could send the industry into a direction neither students nor the publishing companies can afford.
First of all, any business decision that puts an increased burden on consumers will fail to discourage piracy. The textbook industry should take a few pointers from the music industry before any rash decisions are made - the situation isn't much different here.
Consumers are simply fed up with paying exasperating amounts of money for textbooks they may use a handful of times or possibly not at all, much as they were with paying $17 for a CD that includes three worthwhile tracks.
Wrong or not, students can't handle participating in a market in which it appears there are no alternatives to high prices for seldom-used products. Although buying used books online provides a viable option, it's quite easy to see why any normal college student would be tempted by something that's both free and more accessible, thanks to the digital format.
It's just like the music industry; when illegal online sources like Napster popped up, they didn't just provide free music, they gave people a choice in what they wanted.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 16
Brandon Galbraith
posted 7/15/08 @ 3:54 PM CST
Perhaps professors should move toward using open coursework, instead of requiring students to mortgage their lives away for textbooks every semester. For someone who has already done it well, check out MIT's Open Courseware: http://ocw. (Continued…)
datdamwuf
posted 7/15/08 @ 4:00 PM CST
Slightly decreased prices? The companies that publish these books have over priced them for many years because they know Students have no choice but to pay. (Continued…)
S Lam
posted 7/15/08 @ 4:25 PM CST
Copying textbooks isn't new, photocoping very expensive textbooks was common when I went through University. Even buying knock-offs from Asia was common!
There's a very simple way of fighting textbook piracy. (Continued…)
Just an Idea
posted 7/15/08 @ 5:59 PM CST
Has anyone ever thought of the possibility of NOT requiring students to purchase the new slightly altered editions? Why not just keep using the old editions until it becomes useful to update the edition?
Exasperated Student
posted 7/15/08 @ 6:33 PM CST
Speaking as a current student I'm personally 100% for being able to download textbooks. As college curriculums become increasingly more electronically based it seems ludicrous to fork over $250 for a single textbook that I'll end up using less than ten times throughout the semester. (Continued…)
Vice Magnet
posted 7/16/08 @ 12:27 AM CST
Last time I checked, the tuition for the class was more than the cost of the book. In response to Just An Idea, it is an idea your professors largely reject because it means their academic freedom is compromised. (Continued…)
shdwsclan
posted 7/16/08 @ 3:13 AM CST
(1) Publishers of textbooks are ripping off American students....badly in the first place. Look how cheap the international hardcovers are......
(2) Little money is ever passed on to the authors
(3) Book A version 1 costs $199. (Continued…)
Bored with ill-researched rants
posted 7/16/08 @ 9:54 AM CST
If the person who wrote this bothered to do any research at all about the subject, he/she may have noticed one major textbook publishing company is selling books on a per chapter basis. (Continued…)
sdevine
Sean Devine
posted 7/16/08 @ 8:25 PM CST
We agree with the editorial perspective that publishers should offer their textbooks in electronic form in an online store where students can have the option of getting eTextbooks at savings. (Continued…)
K. Richardson
posted 9/12/08 @ 10:18 AM CST
This article is referenced in Wikipedia's "Book scanning" article. Considering deleting the link, I was surprised at the relevance and intelligence (and at the quality of the comments, for that matter). (Continued…)
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