

In School Systems, Slow Progress for Open-Source Textbooks - SandB0x
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/technology/01ping.html?_r=1&hpw

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adulau
The website (relying on a modified version of XWiki[1]) is a bit difficult to
use and read. I didn't try contribution or to register but compared to
Wikibooks (<http://en.wikibooks.org/>) where navigation is easy and
contributing is much more easy. This could be factor for the slow progress.

[1] Please note the use of Java...

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gamble
Few kids in grade school pay for their own texts. They are provided by the
district, and new sets aren't purchased every year. Cost is a less salient
issue than politics and changes to the curriculum.

The 'solution' to expensive textbooks for university students is,
increasingly, piracy. I'm surprised anyone is still buying books these days.
Almost any undergrad text is easily pirated.

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dublinclontarf
Nice to see McNealy doing something constructive with his time. It's not like
this idea hasn't been around for some time but it's never taken off, for
numerable reasons.

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chunkbot
Could you enumerate the reasons? I'd like to know why "open books" hasn't
taken off.

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shantanubala
As a high school student, here's what I've found:

Most students in public school systems don't actually pay for books, so the
students couldn't really care less about who makes the books they use let
alone the licensing, cost, etc.

Parents aren't aware enough to demand it of their school systems.

Teachers are extremely skeptical of wiki-style operations from the start, even
if there is solid editing.

Marketing open-source textbooks is difficult since it doesn't necessarily
generate a whole lot of revenue. Organizations, especially schools, buy stuff
that's marketed to them.

Most curricula (especially International Baccalaureate/Advanced Placement) is
designed with specific topics in mind. Since there aren't as many open books,
there isn't as much selection. Books sometimes miss important topics.

Even though teachers aren't _allowed_ to photocopy regular textbooks, they do.
Who's going to file a lawsuit?

There's more, but these aren't necessarily _drawbacks_ to open books, but
reasons why they're not really being considered as much.

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zavulon
This is completely off topic.. but how do you name your son "Dakota"? Poor boy
...

