compiled notes • to get so much information in one place • to publish a new textbook • to distribute via authorized sellers • to measure effectiveness of handouts because it's hard! makes it easy. lovediscourse
provide electronic text as an afterthought. promotes rapid change by putting electronic distribution first as big publishing companies lovediscourse • hard-to-change physical texts • editor oversight of material • high-overhead pricing model • difficult-to-distribute media
for wider adoption • support for users • transcribing materials • access to more bookstores • licensing for material no funding necessary. why would someone want to commit to lovediscourse ?
2011 semester access cards sold from bookstore to students designed for professors by professors why take my word for it? positive feedback from instructors, students, and TAs does what is needed and then stays out of the way overcame problems with distribution, payment, and returns
to the details instructor: ease-of-use paramount economist: extraneous information is costly to students built for maintainability focus on usability great interest in simplicity instructors know what materials they need ok, I'm on board. how does it make money?
nothing the hardest part of getting set up is putting all of their material into articles, so we do that for them instructors choose the price we collect a fixed amount from each card and the authors keep the difference access cards cost much less than books