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Advice On Creating an Open Source Textbook?
Occamboy writes "I wrote a slightly successful (30,000+ copies sold) computer communications textbook a number of years back that was published via the traditional textbook publishing route. The royalties were nice, but, frankly, the bigger money came from the boost in my professional standing (I'm a practicing engineer, not a professor). I also felt bad when the publisher hiked the price dramatically every year because students were stuck once a professor adopted a text — $50 for a smallish paperback seemed very high (although I like to think what they learned was worth it!). I'm thinking of writing another textbook, this time about the practice of software engineering in critical systems, using the experience I've gained in the decades I've spent developing, and managing the development of, software-driven medical devices. Poking around on the Net, I've found several intriguing options for distributing open source texts, such as Flatworld Knowledge, Lulu, and Connexions. This concept of free or inexpensive texts intrigues me — the easy adoption and lack of price-gouging. Do any Slashdotters have experience with this new paradigm? Any suggestions or experiences to share from authors, students, and/or professors, who've written, read, or adopted open source or low-cost texts from any source?"
Know the subject you write about.
In celebration of Wikipedia's 3 millionth article, Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda would like to announce that he will be participating in the "Gangbang 3 Million" event in order to get in the Guiness Book of World Records for "Most Dicks Put In Your Asshole in One Week". The event will be held in Las Vegas on September 11th, 2009 at the MGM Grand Casino. If you would like to sign up to be a part of this momentous event please go to http://slashdot.org/gangbang_3_million_signup.php. Signing up here will automatically enter you in the drawing to be the first in line to fuck Rob's asshole and for the consolation prize of sloppy seconds. After the event is over, DVDs and Blu-Rays will go on sale on December 15th exclusively through Sourceforge, Inc's ThinkGeek.com retail site at a special 30% off discounted price. Later in January these items will be available for a wide release at 100s of other retailers but at the full retail price. Rob Malda and the rest of the staff at Sourceforge, Inc. hope to see you there!
I'd argue that's not bullshit, it's a minor mistake. My understanding of history is shattered if I mistake that one year difference. If that one fact were important enough to matter, surely one would read more than one source anyway, and Wikipedia at that!
93rd rule of Slashdot: No matter how obvious my sarcasm is, my comment will be taken seriously by someone.
bring Your own use th3 sling.