Apple Kills the Textbook with iBooks 2, iBooks Author

[exboyfil]

17. At both the High School and College level

there is no reason why we cannot have open source textbooks for everything but highly specialized subjects. A classic example is Mathematics. My daughter uses Larson for Algebra and Trig. Compare this textbook with the straight Algebra II textbook or the Precalculus textbook - the content is virtually identical with the exception of no Trig in the Algebra II book. This textbook costs $175 new.

My daughter's Precalculus class will cost $600 at the Community College. The textbook will cost $175. The actual cost should be under $30.

I think the federal government should insist on pushing for more economical textbook options for universities/colleges to receive federal funds. For a Freshman engineer textbooks can represent 15-20% of their tuition.

Even without electronic technology (which I am not sold on even though I own a Kindle), I think providing cheap Chapter by Chapter booklets would make far more sense. Right now most schools only use 60% of the textbook anyway in a subject like math.