That is to be expected when a new textbook costs more than $300, is forced to be single-use with nonsense download codes, has a new version yearly with no functional changes, and doesn’t benefit anybody.
Acceptable? How about necessary for most students. Books for a semester should not cost more than living on campus and a meal plan.
I had a girl break down crying in one of my classes after the prof said the $200 textbook was mandatory. She said she was living paycheque to paycheque and couldn’t afford it without skipping meals. We couldn’t even pirate it because it was the “Canadian edition” which had a completely different chapter format and layout.
I’m a student right now, and basically every single person I have talked to has pirated a textbook at least once. Everyone is sick of paying $200 for a textbook that the prof sometimes doesn’t even use.
This whole thing is madness. Courses shouldn’t have hidden costs.
I was in college pre 2006 and didn’t have the option to pirate books (that i knew of). If it was an option you’re damn right I would have done it. My books were easily $300+ for the quarter and I can’t imagine how much they are now.
First year is when they nab you. My first year I had ONE textbook cost over $200 by itself. I probably spend over $1000 my first year on textbooks. 2nd year I refused to buy a single one, and pirated them all
Not only academic texts. Also darn ISO norms. Unfortunately those are pretty rare to find among the booty bobbing across the sea.
12 years later and GabeN’s quote still applies. “Piracy is a service problem”
Open Textbooks is the future! Stay within law with above link.
Not much point, students don’t choose the textbooks.
If the teacher recommends these books, student would read them!
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