Xref: utzoo sci.math:4921 sci.physics:4953 comp.edu:1464 Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!agate!e260-2d.berkeley.edu!c60a-2di From: c60a-2di@e260-2d.berkeley.edu (The Cybermat Rider) Newsgroups: sci.math,sci.physics,comp.edu Subject: Re: How to beat the high cost of text books! Message-ID: <17563@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> Date: 30 Nov 88 11:57:49 GMT References: <2219@cbnews.ATT.COM> <684@stech.UUCP> <547@aoa.UUCP> Sender: usenet@agate.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: University of California, Berkeley Lines: 23 In article <547@aoa.UUCP> carl@aoa.UUCP (Carl Witthoft) writes: >With respect to the effort of the writers: >Yes it's true that the authors work pretty hard to produce the book. >And they oughta get paid for it. >Unfortunately, they often come out with 2nd 3rd, Nth editions to >ensure that all the poor kids can't buy a used text. (generally, at >least in math, the only thing that changes is the problem sets) >This is a major problem in the more competitive areas such as >introductory Calc, Chem, etc. >So what. A really well-written text can serve as a reference for >the user (you know, what we become after we graduate) for years to come. I think the main reason the Nth edition is published is simply because developments in the field concerned demand a new edition. As such, a "really well-written text" might serve as a reference for years, but it wouldn't be UP-TO-DATE...... Of course, that's not gonna stop me from keeping EVERY text I'm using now.... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adrian Ho a.k.a. The Cybermat Rider University of California, Berkeley c60a-2di@web.berkeley.edu Disclaimer: Nobody takes me seriously, so is it really necessary?