Noticed this from the SCoPE conversations via Nick Noakes: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/wilson-free-biology-textbook/
Maybe a little extravagent in their claims? I'd also wonder at the total accuracy of all their statements. But interesting. Some other sad comments on competition . . $10M I wonder is this value for money? A small extract: By no “small matter,” Patterson means money. Completing the book’s chapters, laced with high-end interactive animations and video interviews with Nobel laureates, could cost as much as $10 million. “No publisher is doing what we’re doing, which is developing, from scratch, a serious digital textbook,” Patterson said. He added that only $1 million of that funding — half of it from Life Technologies Foundation — is in place, and the remaining $9 million remains to be seen from private and public donors. “It’s expensive, but once you’re done you can keep it up to date across time, globally, essentially free of charge.” The foundation plans to sell university-level editions for about 10 percent of the cost of the average print textbook, in part to fund that continuous updating. Kindergarten through 12th grade editions will be free. Patterson said the idea is to provide any student in the world unprecedented learning tools, but acknowledged imminent backlash from profit-seeking publishers. Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/wilson-free-biology-textbook/#ixzz13YIY6SeA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WikiEducator" group. To visit wikieducator: http://www.wikieducator.org To visit the discussion forum: http://groups.google.com/group/wikieducator To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]
