Quote:
Originally Posted by screensaver400
The only way for eTextbooks to be successful is if they cost less than used books at a college bookstore... Say, $19.99-$39.99 for books that are $70-$120 new and $40-$80 used.
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I wouldn't say that's the
only way for them to be successful.
My sister literally has to take a giant rolling suitcase to school for all her huge medical textbooks. So that's a factor.
Also, anyone who played around with Push Pop's
Our Choice should be able to easily envision the possibilities for more dynamic textbooks. In-line video, adjustable charts, 3D diagrams...it'd be amazing. And a lot of print textbooks come with either CDs (ew!) or codes to access a website with study aids, quizzes, &c. All that stuff could be built into an e-text — it could be the textbook, the workbook, and the overachiever-y website all in one.
At the very least, I don't think e-texts would have to be
half the price of the used text to stand a chance (and I'm not expecting them to be). Sure, you can't trade in an ebook, but I don't think most students are thinking about trading in their textbooks when they buy them. In my experience, most students treated their textbook trade-ins as bonus beer money — it wasn't something they built into their financial plan from the start of the term, or anything.