books vs notes
Finally got my MA1506 Mathematics II notes today. I don't have the privilege to own the textbook (Topics in Engineering Mathematics) as well, but people were saying the notes from faculty printing room is exactly the same as the textbook, word to word.
Paying $20.80 for a book with nice cover and quality paper, or paying $8 for a stack of Double A paper from the ever-slack faculty printing room, which will you choose? (yes I have something against the printing room, opening hours can be so wonderful I don't mind working there) I'm a poor student, so I'll go for the notes. I don't quite get it, the lecturer said that he doesn't receive any royalty from the sale of this book which he wrote, then why bother sending it to the publisher? Do charity and let the publisher earn money? Or tell the world how many books he has written? He even has an agreement with the publisher not to upload the lecture slides onto IVLE. So what is more important, learning or earning?
On the other hand, for CS1101 Programming Methodology in C, it is better to buy the textbook instead of the notes, since I heard one lecture is like hundreds over slides. As for PC1432 Physics IIE, the notes is available at the printing service at Yusoff Ishak House, but after a little calculation I realize that if I print on my own 6 slides to a page, I can save a little money and some trees.
Last semester Dr Rajesh was saying publishers have new edition every year so that students will "have" to buy new books (well, with the collaboration from lecturers who "recommend" latest editions of textbooks) I do agree that some informations are time-sensitive, such as statistics, but we as learning students can always look up the essential info from the internet/elsewhere, can't we?
At least not as bad as primary and secondary school, having syllabus changes every now and then. How many of us used second-hand textbooks back then?
Paying $20.80 for a book with nice cover and quality paper, or paying $8 for a stack of Double A paper from the ever-slack faculty printing room, which will you choose? (yes I have something against the printing room, opening hours can be so wonderful I don't mind working there) I'm a poor student, so I'll go for the notes. I don't quite get it, the lecturer said that he doesn't receive any royalty from the sale of this book which he wrote, then why bother sending it to the publisher? Do charity and let the publisher earn money? Or tell the world how many books he has written? He even has an agreement with the publisher not to upload the lecture slides onto IVLE. So what is more important, learning or earning?
On the other hand, for CS1101 Programming Methodology in C, it is better to buy the textbook instead of the notes, since I heard one lecture is like hundreds over slides. As for PC1432 Physics IIE, the notes is available at the printing service at Yusoff Ishak House, but after a little calculation I realize that if I print on my own 6 slides to a page, I can save a little money and some trees.
Last semester Dr Rajesh was saying publishers have new edition every year so that students will "have" to buy new books (well, with the collaboration from lecturers who "recommend" latest editions of textbooks) I do agree that some informations are time-sensitive, such as statistics, but we as learning students can always look up the essential info from the internet/elsewhere, can't we?
At least not as bad as primary and secondary school, having syllabus changes every now and then. How many of us used second-hand textbooks back then?
crap posted by chillycraps at
5:55 PM
5 Comments:
active learning.. hahaha.. tat's really good.. get all the infor by yourself.. hehehe..
By
DJ Niwde, at 1/17/2006 06:43:00 PM
chill chill!!
Actually someone told me he likes the book cos it has nice cover... while others actually said things related to sourgrape...
Come on think on the bright side, the notes version is harder to refer cos of different numbering, and at least you can sell your book while I can only send mine to the landfill.
By
chillycraps, at 1/17/2006 10:25:00 PM
oh u'd be surprised! perhaps u can still sell ur copy nxt sem to students others who are willing to pay a lower price.
reminded me of my psych book which nobody wants to buy now.. can't they just stick to one book for a year or more... i guess not..
By
Anonymous, at 1/18/2006 07:48:00 AM
but mine is just stack of loose pieces of paper... will there be buyer?? I doubt it.
By
chillycraps, at 1/18/2006 06:13:00 PM
bind it up together lor.. it would fetch a better price.. for those who wants the same version.. but well.. at a much much lower price.. be glad u can do tat in singapore.. cuz printing cost is not that high..
i cant do it at all.. printing stuff is like killing people back in sydney.. so expensive!
By
DJ Niwde, at 1/18/2006 11:42:00 PM
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