You know, I tried reading Slashdot every day, but always ended up having to go back and read what I missed. Then I found out about the various email notifications (headlines, newsletters) and was glad I wouldn't have to go back everyday via the webpage which seemed kinda kuttered for me sometimes.

Well... Turns out I didn't like either of the formats that the email came in. One wasn't descriptive enough (being only headlines), and the other one had a way to indicate links that were annoying and was also kinda like picking through a government document. It was also hard to leave if you only read half, because if you came back you would lose your place. Just still not the best for me (I like the quick blurbs at the front of the Wall Street Journal best).

Then I finally decided to try the RSS feeds for the page (which I've used RSS for other pages), and have been pleasantly surprised by the format. Each article I can read by itself and the only link is at the bottom to the said HTML article on the site. I can quickly read, and can keep my place by hitting the Read button for when I am finished. Slick as can be. Easy to keep up with the wonderful articles of the site.

Shouldn't we form a "coalition of students for rules and quality of textbooks"? Then set out a few rules for the university system of textbooks.

1. Textbooks cannot be updated of a time less than FIVE years unless SIGNIFICANT change has happened in the subject matter. Would have to pass coalition review. (No more updating the books with only a few different colors and different pictures)

2. Regardless if a CD came with the book, copies and updates to any software sold with book should be online. Seeing as software gets updated pretty often.

3. Irregularities to a books printing (corrections) shall be corrected and published online. This shall also be in an easy to print fashion such as PDF. (No more updating the book for a few typos)

4. A rating system for books shall be created that will rate various aspects of the books and particular benefits and problems with regards to the programs they are teaching. This shall be by students, teachers, and the coalition. Teachers would be pressured to pick high rated books. (I find that many of the books in my engineering studies are really heady and not really practical to most engineers {trying to teach professors, and not regular worker in that field}, or have little discussion of the industry (real world) that applies)

5. The coalition would also try to help lead the way in electronic textbooks and testing of various tablets and other tools in their implementation. They would also pressure the book companies to offer electronic versions for sale (with obvious copy protections of course). (Hey, most people say that some sort of electronic tablet may be the way of the future in classrooms but I have seen little testing of such new devices at the colleges I have been around)

6. Pressure book companies to put out less glitzy or useless add-ons, and more useful teaching aids. Then put pressure on professors to make good use of such tools. (How many times have I been in a class that had books with either a bunch of useless extras that I had to pay for that werent used, or useful add-ons that the professor didn't use (which would have GREATLY helped teach the subject matter)? TONS OF TIMES!)

7. In a slightly off kilter note, the coalition should pressure to put notes to the class online. Including syllabus and important course material. Behind a password if need be.

8. Support, editing, and comments by coalition for such free online textbooks as listed in original /. article.

If such a group exists as the coalition, they sure don't seem to be very effective. Every student in college should know who they are if they were effective. "Here is your student registration AND membership card in the Coalition of Students for Kick Ass Textbooks"
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Party at O'zorgnax's Pub! Buy me a Slurmtini aye?

Groan, I made a big mistake when I sent in my submission to slashdot. Actually two I think. The big one is that I didn't copy what I wrote down, and it is now lost to me because they didn't accept and I have no way of getting a copy. I wrote cmdtaco about it and he said sorry dude. This is bad because it was rather well written and I could have either modified for better submission to slashdot, or used elsewhere such as my homepage and sending to my chancellor.

Second mistake is in how I structured the submission. It was three paragraphs long, and the bottom paragraph was where the question was to ASK SLASHDOT. I think the admin just scanned the top of it and may have dismissed it as a whine or rant of some sort and not noticed it was intended as an intelectual nerd question. Basically what /. is all about. I should have posted question on top and filled in details. Groan...