Publishers loosen rules on e-textbooks

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Richard Forno <rforno () infowarrior org>
Date: August 12, 2005 8:22:17 PM EDT
To: Infowarrior List <infowarrior () g2-forward org>
Cc: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Publishers loosen rules on e-textbooks


It's a start, anyway......but I still don't see e-texts taking off under
anything less than a do-as-you-can-do-with-a-real-book sort of  
restriction,
which means ZERO copy protection.

-rick
Infowarrior.org


Publishers loosen rules on e-textbooks

By John Borland
http://news.com.com/Publishers+loosen+rules+on+e-textbooks/ 
2100-1025_3-58306
40.html

Story last modified Fri Aug 12 12:28:00 PDT 2005

A group of major textbook publishers has agreed to loosen  
restrictions in an
electronic-textbook experiment beginning this month at Princeton  
University
and other schools, following some criticism of expiration dates.

The pilot project, which will see textbooks sold in downloadable form  
at 10
university bookstores this fall, went into operation earlier this week.
Under the initial version of the program, the downloads were to be  
sold for
33 percent off the cost of a new, printed copy, but would only be  
usable for
about five months.

Digital textbooks impose some real limits in exchange for saving you  
money.

On Friday, MBS Textbook Exchange--the textbook wholesaler that is  
organizing
the program--said publishers had agreed to extend the expiration  
dates for
the digital textbooks. The downloads will now last from 12 months to an
unlimited time, depending on the publisher.

"All of us have always been committed to putting together a program that
delivers a cost savings to the student through the traditional channel,
which is the bookstore," MBS Direct Chief Executive Officer Dennis  
Flanagan,
who is heading the project, said in a statement. "Adapting to student
recommendations is what this test is all about."

The experiment, which is already ongoing at several schools including  
the
University of Utah, is one of the most ambitious efforts offering  
students
digital versions of textbooks instead of the heavy printed copies  
they're
used to.

A handful of textbook publishers already offer downloadable versions of
their works through their own Web sites or through partners. But the
programs have been only lightly used--in part because most students  
tend to
buy their books all at once either online or in the campus bookstore,  
rather
than figuring out which publisher is responsible for which texts.

The new program will see little cards produced by MBS sold on the  
shelves
next to used and new copies of textbooks, offering students the  
discount if
they buy online instead. The generic cards--similar to phone cards--are
associated with a specific book at the bookstore's check-out desk,  
and the
student downloads the book later.

Formatted and copy-protected using Adobe technology, the books can be
searched by keyword and read out loud by the software. But antipiracy
protections will prevent them from being sold back to the bookstore  
or to
other students once a class is finished.

MBS also said Friday that publishers have agreed to loosen  
restrictions on
how much of a book could be printed and how often. That too will vary by
publisher.

The digital books will be initially available at the University of  
Oregon,
the University of Utah, Portland Community College, Bowling Green State
University, Princeton University, Georgetown College, California State
University-Fullerton, Morehead State University, and at privately owned
stores serving West Virginia University and Louisiana State University.






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