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School Books rip offs

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  • 25-07-2015 12:08am
    #1
    bajer101
    Registered Users Posts: 2,178 ✭✭✭


    I ordered this book for my daughter today, I am looking forward to discovering what amazing new discovery in Maths that Folens have discovered that will justify them charging €16.40 for this book. Surely they can't be just rehashing existing knowledge and basically just copying and pasting that stuff and charging people this extortionate sum? This is crazy.
    Educate Together schools are definitely a step in the right direction. But we have hopefully moved on. The next battle has to be about this nonsense of €16 maths books.


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    #2
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    2+2=5 now, apparently.


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    #3
    One eyed Jack
    Registered Users Posts: 23,695 ✭✭✭✭One eyed Jack


    bajer101 wrote: »
    I ordered this book for my daughter today, I am looking forward to discovering what amazing new discovery in Maths that Folens have discovered that will justify them charging €16.40 for this book. Surely they can't be just rehashing existing knowledge and basically just copying and pasting that stuff and charging people this extortionate sum? This is crazy.
    Educate Together schools are definitely a step in the right direction. But we have hopefully moved on. The next battle has to be about this nonsense of €16 maths books.


    What's the problem again?

    €16 is not extortionate for a school book. They're usually reasonably priced, and if you're complaining about the cost of school books at primary level, wait till your daughter is in college and you'll find out all about the extortionate cost of books.


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    #4
    juneg
    Registered Users Posts: 1,083 ✭✭✭juneg


    There's a lot of colour in the maths books compared to other subjects and they are among the biggest in size with more pages. Paper quality is usually good

    I think it just comes down to cost of production for a big book to be honest


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    #5
    Mardy Bum
    Registered Users Posts: 3,674 ✭✭✭Mardy Bum


    If you think education is expensive try ignorance.

    Make sure your daughter gets value from it for the year. Help her with homework, encourage her. It will all pay off.


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    #6
    Duckworth_Luas
    Registered Users Posts: 5,733 ✭✭✭Duckworth_Luas


    My reaction was to produce my own maths books for my kids.

    The sound of victory is my son reciting his durpteen times tables.


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    #7
    TallGlass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,935 ✭✭✭TallGlass


    bajer101 wrote: »
    Surely they can't be just rehashing existing knowledge and basically just copying and pasting that stuff and charging people this extortionate sum?

    It's the same knowledge, just adjusted to make it easier for people to learn I would imagine. Just think of it like an OS, its the same system at the core just new features etc.. V.1 V.2 V.3 etc..

    The question I would be asking myself is the book any good with to begin with if its on like v.7 then it might be good.

    I am studying CCNA, have access to all the CCNA v.1 stuff, but they changed to v.2 so depending on what's added in / taking out, its just easier to by the book and know whats in the v.2 and use the v.1 stuff to assist as the core concepts of a subject will never change.


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    #8
    Samaris
    Registered Users Posts: 6,544 ✭✭✭Samaris


    Crikey, if E16 is bad, wait until they hit college.

    Books can easily be E60-90. It's a total disgrace still. Biology by...argh, I'll edit it in when I find it. It's on about the 16th Ed. every few years, and it rarely changes more than the blasted chapter numbers.


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    #9
    Samaris
    Registered Users Posts: 6,544 ✭✭✭Samaris


    Crikey, if E16 is bad, wait until they hit college.

    Books can easily be E60-90. It's a total disgrace still. Biology by Campbell and Reece. It's on about the 16th Ed. every few years, and it rarely changes more than the blasted chapter numbers.


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    #10
    wendell borton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,336 ✭✭✭wendell borton


    Samaris wrote: »
    Crikey, if E16 is bad, wait until they hit college.

    Books can easily be E60-90. It's a total disgrace still. Biology by...argh, I'll edit it in when I find it. It's on about the 16th Ed. every few years, and it rarely changes more than the blasted chapter numbers.

    It can be had on amazon for ~£25 used, there should be no need of getting the newest edition.


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    #11
    bajer101
    Registered Users Posts: 2,178 ✭✭✭bajer101


    Rosemary Salty Druggist wrote: »
    2+2=5 now, apparently.

    What point are you trying to make? My point is that €16 is a crazy amount of money to charge for basically copying and pasting the work of other people.
    One eyed Jack wrote: »
    What's the problem again?

    €16 is not extortionate for a school book. They're usually reasonably priced, and if you're complaining about the cost of school books at primary level, wait till your daughter is in college and you'll find out all about the extortionate cost of books.

    What sort of argument is that? €16 is not expensive, because it will be more expensive later! Please address the point about the €16 book that this thread is about. If you have an issue about the costs of third level costs, start your own thread.
    Mardy Bum wrote: »
    If you think education is expensive try ignorance.

    Make sure your daughter gets value from it for the year. Help her with homework, encourage her. It will all pay off.

    Cool story bro, but what has that got to do with the point I am arguing about having to pay more than €15 for a basic maths book? There are no copyright or patent issues here. I just paid €15 to buy a book that cost **** all to produce and which had nothing new.


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    #12
    RayM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,973 ✭✭✭RayM


    I saved a fortune last year by buying slightly older versions of college books. One particular book was around €50 new. I found a perfect second-hand copy for €3.99 (including postage) on Play.com.


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    #13
    Nib
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭Nib


    Who gives a fuck?

    Use Facebook for this trivial shit.


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    #14
    Lau2976
    Registered Users Posts: 1,030 ✭✭✭Lau2976


    Just pray she doesn't want to go to Art School! We had to get the usual expensive books and expensive art materials on top of that


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    #15
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Gerard Craughwell, the former TUI President, was on tv the other night (I assume you all watch Oireachtas Report on RTÉ tv at 3am). His whole speech was about the damage all these books are doing to kids' backs and he was passionately arguing for electronic books.

    He is 100% correct, but I'm lost as to who pays for it when kids lose them and can't afford new ones, etc. Just glancing at many of these books, it doesn't take long to find factual inaccuracies in you have a good grasp of the subject. A lot of schoolbooks seem to be put together in a hurry without proofreading.


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    #16
    DeadHand
    Registered Users Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭DeadHand


    Nib wrote: »
    Who gives a fuck?

    Use Facebook for this trivial shit.

    Yeah, 'cos After Hours just isn't the place for trivial nonsense.

    Now, excuse me while I have a read of the "Racist Aliens" thread.


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    #17
    retro:electro
    Registered Users Posts: 21,039 ✭✭✭✭retro:electro


    One eyed Jack wrote: »
    What's the problem again?

    €16 is not extortionate for a school book. They're usually reasonably priced, and if you're complaining about the cost of school books at primary level, wait till your daughter is in college and you'll find out all about the extortionate cost of books.

    I did four years in college and didn't buy one book. You get them all in the college library for free.


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    #18
    One eyed Jack
    Registered Users Posts: 23,695 ✭✭✭✭One eyed Jack


    bajer101 wrote: »
    What point are you trying to make? My point is that €16 is a crazy amount of money to charge for basically copying and pasting the work of other people.


    It's not just copying and pasting the work of other people though. Printing costs, distribution costs, staff costs to make sure the information is accurate and complies with the curriculum...

    €16 is the price of two packs or smokes, or three pints, for a book that your daughter will get months of use out of. Is there a book scheme in your school you can avail of? That would make the cost of the books easier on you.

    What sort of argument is that? €16 is not expensive, because it will be more expensive later! Please address the point about the €16 book that this thread is about. If you have an issue about the costs of third level costs, start your own thread.


    Well it's all relative - you're cribbing about the cost of books now and I'm telling you €16 for a maths book is not by any standard extortionate. In fact there are moves on to cut down on the number of workbooks used by students at primary school level which are where the real profits are for publishers, go figure! Because you can't sell them on at all.

    Cool story bro, but what has that got to do with the point I am arguing about having to pay more than €15 for a basic maths book? There are no copyright or patent issues here. I just paid €15 to buy a book that cost **** all to produce and which had nothing new.


    Actually there are copyright issues. That's why teachers can't just go photocopying books willy nilly and handing them out to students. I don't think you're genuinely aware of how much a book costs to produce if you think it cost fcuk all to produce.

    The math just doesn't add up.


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    #19
    PLL
    Registered Users Posts: 893 ✭✭✭PLL


    anna080 wrote: »
    I did four years in college and didn't buy one book. You get them all in the college library for free.

    +1

    Why buy them when you can take them out of the library for a month?


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    #20
    One eyed Jack
    Registered Users Posts: 23,695 ✭✭✭✭One eyed Jack


    anna080 wrote: »
    I did four years in college and didn't buy one book. You get them all in the college library for free.


    I've no doubt obviously that’s what some people do, and even then it depends on the course you're doing, but it's far from the norm in fairness?


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    #21
    bajer101
    Registered Users Posts: 2,178 ✭✭✭bajer101


    Nib wrote: »
    Who gives a fuck?

    Use Facebook for this trivial shit.

    I give a **** - that is why I created a thread to discuss the issues. A lot of other adults also care about this. I realise that it won't be an issue for you because it is a discussion about being the parent of a child and that usually involves finding a woman who will let you have sex with her. Good look with that. In the meantime, fúck off and let the grown ups talk.


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    #22
    SMJSF
    Registered Users Posts: 600 ✭✭✭SMJSF


    Mods -please move to parenting or education forum.


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    #23
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    bajer101 wrote: »
    I give a **** - that is why I created a thread to discuss the issues. A lot of other adults also care about this. I realise that it won't be an issue for you because it is a discussion about being the parent of a child and that usually involves finding a woman who will let you have sex with her. Good look with that. In the meantime, fúck off and let the grown ups talk.

    Well, I never!! I nearly dropped my monocle into my sherry.


    Wouldn't this not be better discussed in the education forums, but in a more polite setting.


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    #24
    One eyed Jack
    Registered Users Posts: 23,695 ✭✭✭✭One eyed Jack


    bajer101 wrote: »
    I give a **** - that is why I created a thread to discuss the issues. A lot of other adults also care about this. I realise that it won't be an issue for you because it is a discussion about being the parent of a child and that usually involves finding a woman who will let you have sex with her. Good look with that. In the meantime, fúck off and let the grown ups talk.


    "Foul mouthed temperamental brats" forum...



    Oh, they got rid of the thunder dome, didn't they :rolleyes:


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    #25
    Duckworth_Luas
    Registered Users Posts: 5,733 ✭✭✭Duckworth_Luas


    donegaLroad wrote: »
    you might find this interesting :)
    What about this then?

    That's my subscription to Busy at Maths 3 out the window.

    Pól and Síle better fcuk off with their subh

    Anne and Barry, you Nazi cun....t...z


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    #26
    Ruu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,622 ✭✭✭Ruu


    Folens and their schoolbook cartel! Unstoppable and above the law for decades.


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    #27
    Peregrine
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 26,399 Mod ✭✭✭✭Peregrine


    Mod note:

    If you have a problem with a post, report it.

    This thread is far too derailed to be moved now but can we please get back on topic?

    OP, if you start a thread in a more appropriate forum, I'll close this. To be honest, I wouldn't know which forum would be appropriate for this if you're looking to discuss all schoolbooks.


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    #28
    osarusan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,578 ✭✭✭✭osarusan


    Buy books in university? Are you mad? I went to university and never bought a single book.


    Failed every f**king subject.


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    #29
    xLisaBx
    Registered Users Posts: 901 ✭✭✭xLisaBx


    You don't even need to wait for college for book prices to go up from 16 euro. Wait untill first year in secondary school, 16 euro may not even get a second hand maths book. And higher level students usually need 3 maths books for junior cert!
    Now multiply that by 11/12 subjects...


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    #30
    osarusan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,578 ✭✭✭✭osarusan


    But seriously, the books isn't just the actual maths in it - it has (the publisher believes) been designed so the material will be accessible to the students, help the teacher present the material, facilitate learning and so on. All this might need to be revised based on stuff like teacher feedback, or because of decisions made by the Dept of Education, or their own research on the best practices in teaching maths.

    That is going to be how maths books differ from each other, as the maths itself isn't going to change.

    Not to say it's worth the money, but it's more than just the maths itself in there.


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    #31
    Ranchu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 709 ✭✭✭Ranchu


    The best thing to do in this situation is to buy a ropey convertable and get mad in to the golf. I'd also suggest listening to Billy Joel and having a long hard look at Miriam.


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