Slashdot Mirror
Major Textbook Publishers Sue Open-Education Textbook Start-Up
linjaaho writes "Three major textbook publishers have sued a startup company making free and open textbooks, citing 'copyright infringement,' as the company is making similar textbooks using open material. From the article: 'The publishers' complaint takes issue with the way the upstart produces its open-education textbooks, which Boundless bills as free substitutes for expensive printed material. To gain access to the digital alternatives, students select the traditional books assigned in their classes, and Boundless pulls content from an array of open-education sources to knit together a text that the company claims is as good as the designated book. The company calls this mapping of printed book to open material "alignment" — a tactic the complaint said creates a finished product that violates the publishers' copyrights.'"
It is just the start. I am really wondering when the publishers will start to sue the students/graduates for using the learned materials, alleging they are creating unauthorized derivatives.
They already do. If you've ever sat in a college English class the first thing they wave their finger in your face about is plagarism in an academic context and proclaim you guilty as charged if your paper even hints at using something other than common knowledge if left even partially uncited. You can even get sued if your published your work such as a dissertation. This is only because professors and text book companies hate your guts when you use stuff like wikipedia and other sources of making knowledge common. Which in the academic world is like using a GOTO statement in C, total blasphemy and a grand show of incompetance as far as they can see past their high noses which act as a sail when they go fishing. I wish these open text book guys good luck cause they'll need it against such whiney, nasty, rude, hypocrits like these academics and the corporations that support them.