Protip: Buy from India. It's illegal, but you get a paper copy of a textbook at about 10% of the price.
College Students Can Now Rent Textbooks Electronically From Amazon
41–44 of 44 posts
Re: College Students Can Now Rent Textbooks Electronically From Amazon
#42Nice idea, but the problem for me would be the screen. I used to spend hours staring at my textbook back in the day. Hours spent staring at a backlit screen like a laptop would give me a headache (and does today, when I spend hours programming). But the e-ink offerings aren't there yet in terms of usability for textbooks. They're great for novels, where progress is linear, and bookmarks are search are rarely needed.…
My problem is the exact opposite. I can't see to read unless I'm looking at a back-lit screen. For this reason, all of my books for the past year and a half have been ebooks, read on an iPad.
I'm not sure what I would have done in college had I had the problems reading then that I do now. At the time, my only option would have been a book on tape, which is an absolute nightmare for random access and complex subjects, or braille, which I don't know (though, admittedly, should probably learn).
Not that any of that is to discount what you're saying at all. I guess more than anything i just wanted to share my experience. I can certainly see the appeal of having a physical book over a digital copy, and that may well be the preferred choice for the average person, but for a certain demographic, just having the option of a digital version can be an almost life-changing experience.
I remember the first night I got my iPad, after a year of not being able to read a book unless I was tied to my computer/desk. I sat comfortably on the couch and read a novel. I cried, I was so happy.
Re: College Students Can Now Rent Textbooks Electronically From Amazon
#43I'm not very sympathetic towards the rental of DRM-locked text books. It just seems wrong. Yes, I understand it takes money and effort to write and compile a book, but since currently the prices of ebooks are way too high (after all print, shipping and retail are mostly left out) I feel that the publishing industry is moving towards what the music industry is today.
Everyone that has specialized knowledge, enthusiasts, professionals, professors etc. should write their own books and articles and sell them cheaply or give them out for free. Cut out the middle-man that is a publishing company. They are no, longer, needed. They just aren't.
Re: College Students Can Now Rent Textbooks Electronically From Amazon
#44I don't own a Kindle yet.
But this may be the last straw that will drive me to buy one.