Why aren't text books produce in alternative formats like other books?
If I want to listen to chapters 1-5 in my car, why can't I? Or if I want to listen to it while I'm on the computer...
Fact is people have less time to read. I imagine textbooks on cd would be a great product for post graduate students with full time jobs.
Maybe it could even effect the price of textbooks if the format was similar to audible.com where students could download the MP3 format of the textbook and then burn it on to cd.
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Part of the answer is that textbooks have captive audiences. The publishers don't have to suit the users, just the teachers who select the books. Another part is that the publishers would be greatly concrned about digital rights management. The books are expensive to produce, have a limited market, and go out of date quickly.
That said, people might be interested in CliffsNotes. They have extended the old college standby and offer downloads convering much of the literature commonly studied in college. The downloads may be in text format, but a person could buy a copy of ReadPlease and convert text to audio in .mp3 format. I find this conversion quite acceptable.
This would also serve to make textbooks cheaper, so as not to completely nullify one's full time job.
I don't know about college text books but middle and high school books are available in audio format. The main purpose is to provide an alternative input for students who have reading difficulties but it could be used for convenience.
To build on this idea, I would love to have a subscription option for some of my favorite text books. The subscription would give me an annual update for new editions - on CD rom. I could then happily dispose of my outdated textbooks and always have the latest information at my finger tips.
If textbooks on CD became universal it would simplify several difficulties. If all schoolrooms were equipped with computers one CD textbook could network to each screen thereby eliminating the job of kids damaging their physique by carrying heavy books to and from school. Tests could be incorporated into the book and the teacher could get digital outputs from each student that the teacher could burn into a CD to take home for examining. The results could automatically be recorded in the central school files. Etc.
i really think this idea is good why?
1.) it makes it easy especially in my generation today to study because lets face it reading books is boring especially if its for school.
2.) in our school books are expensive and we just use it for a term? if they can convert it to a cd i think it would be a lot cheaper and if ever you lose the cd you can quickly replace it by downloading it again.
3.) books are heavy and for me personally is a hastle to carry just think if it can be downloaded to an i-pod, mp3 player or a discman it wount be a hastle because those thing are light and can fit in your pocket.
CD's can be burned, whereby these hundred+ dollar textbooks cannot.
Also, I can use my textbook anywhere, whereby a CD requires me to bring devices along with me.