Awhile back I wrote about e-textbooks, welcoming them as a less expensive alternative to bound textbooks. There was a big backlash to the launch, with lots of folks upset at the DRM restrictions on the e-texts. I was baffled, as I figured that if the restrictions prevented sales, the publishers would relax them.

Well, it appears that's exactly what they've done. Among the original complaints: 1) If my computer crashes I'm out of a book. 2) I can only print a few pages. 3) The book "expires" after a few months and I no longer have it. Here's how most e-books are now being offered, according to a story in Oregon's Register-Guard: 1) The publisher will replace your e-book if your computer dies. 2) You can print as much as you want. 3) You get a lifetime license.

That's the market at work. The campus bookseller in the article says e-textbooks are selling, but not like wildfire. That's what I'd expect for a product that requires a mental shift like this. I still haven't made the full shift; I think I'd still want some old-fashioned textbooks, even though e-textbooks are priced less than used bound books. But this was never about replacing bound books, it was about introducing alternatives to the market.

posted by Patrick Ross @ 11:22 AM | Books

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