Comments on: TextBook Torrents Turns The Final Page and Closes Down http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/ Torrent News, Torrent Sites and the latest Scoops Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:34:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Cheap-Textbooks Team http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-528793 Cheap-Textbooks Team Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:18:59 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-528793 It is that textbooks are so expensive that students had to turn to file sharing sites. Look at the drop in song file sharing when apple made them affordable. Affordable textbooks is the answer It is that textbooks are so expensive that students had to turn to file sharing sites. Look at the drop in song file sharing when apple made them affordable. Affordable textbooks is the answer

]]> By: Bigkahkistan http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-526803 Bigkahkistan Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:08:42 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-526803 How do you think such laws come into being? There's a significant amount of corporate lobbying going on to make sure that these copyright laws are enforced hard and fast. Ultimately , the problem is that the rich have the ability to bend government services towards their will. How do you think such laws come into being? There's a significant amount of corporate lobbying going on to make sure that these copyright laws are enforced hard and fast. Ultimately , the problem is that the rich have the ability to bend government services towards their will.

]]> By: Sir Cob http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-525668 Sir Cob Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:20:47 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-525668 Never got to use it - but you do know that this means that this means that publishers will come out with new editions and more expensive prices to make up for there "calculated" losses. Sucks for us... Never got to use it – but you do know that this means that this means that publishers will come out with new editions and more expensive prices to make up for there "calculated" losses.

Sucks for us…

]]> By: NSEWA http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-524362 NSEWA Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:18:55 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-524362 I got a few of my texts from last semester and I come back today that the site is dead? well textbook companies need to make money but I wished some kind of agreement could be reach so I don't have to waste 500 bucks in books that change every edition. Thanks for the help while it lasted I got a few of my texts from last semester and I come back today that the site is dead? well textbook companies need to make money but I wished some kind of agreement could be reach so I don't have to waste 500 bucks in books that change every edition. Thanks for the help while it lasted

]]> By: Knightmixer http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-521972 Knightmixer Fri, 26 Dec 2008 04:28:34 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-521972 This is by no mean representative of capitalism. Patent and copyright laws are governmental creations. The true target of your ire should be directed towards all forms of statism (socialism, communism, fascism, marxism, et al...) This is by no mean representative of capitalism. Patent and copyright laws are governmental creations. The true target of your ire should be directed towards all forms of statism (socialism, communism, fascism, marxism, et al…)

]]> By: As An Industry Slowly Dies..... http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-507261 As An Industry Slowly Dies..... Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:45:15 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-507261 @sdc I will take your statement at face value and assume for the sake of argument that your company is one of the more responsible university presses that does actually put much effort into keeping their product updated and careful attention to a high standard of quality. However, the majority of commercial textbook publishers do the bare minimum and force newly "updated/revised" editions on students solely for the sake of the bottom line. When the successful completion of a course is dependent on the mandatory purchase of the latest edition textbook despite said latest edition being virtually indistinguishable from the previous volume, then perhaps you can begin to understand why the people in the educational chain least able to afford it (the students) consider a $200+ price tag nothing short of a publisher rape of already stretched and inadequate resources. Multiply this scenario by many courses and the problem is crystal clear to all who have had to endure this shameless profiteering. Harassment of your customer base through petty legal threats does not put the money in their pocket to pay the inflated prices charged by many. If four people each put in $50 to buy one copy of a $200 textbook and then share it why is it so outrageous for some to use a digital copy if they can't afford a physical one? You may feel that your industry "prices to have their books bought and not to make a huge profit", but I assure you that that is not the view of those who are your customers. Your industry exists in a rather unique niche of the publishing world in that rather than having to compete and provide quality AND value (read=reasonable price) like mainstream publishers, you cater to a captive audience whose academic success or failure is directly tied to the required purchase of your product. It is quite apparent to most people that textbook publishers long ago realized this and ever since have exploited that fact by pricing at a standard totally in opposition to mainstream publishing. I'm sure you would like to point out that a university press does not sell titles in the numbers that mainstream books do, and you're absolutely correct. But $150, $200, $300 for a single hardback textbook? Your numbers sold may be lower than mainstream books but your costs of publishing/printing are in no way proportional to your sales prices. If you say they are, I will be happy to direct you to several vanity presses who will be happy to print high quality hardbacks in small numbers for a tiny fraction of what you charge. Your industry could easily cut retail prices in half and still be very profitable. But instead price gouging and outright banditry seems to be the order of the day. So, if you are one of the minority of text publishers who do act responsibly by putting out a quality product at a FAIR and REASONABLE price, then I wish you well. I am not anti-business nor anti-profit. I am, however, irrevocably and steadfastly opposed to those who would take advantage of their industry's unique position to pillage those who are, in most cases, struggling financially as it is to complete their education. And for THAT segment of your industry, I have no pity. @sdc

I will take your statement at face value and assume for the sake of argument that your company is one of the more responsible university presses that does actually put much effort into keeping their product updated and careful attention to a high standard of quality. However, the majority of commercial textbook publishers do the bare minimum and force newly “updated/revised” editions on students solely for the sake of the bottom line. When the successful completion of a course is dependent on the mandatory purchase of the latest edition textbook despite said latest edition being virtually indistinguishable from the previous volume, then perhaps you can begin to understand why the people in the educational chain least able to afford it (the students) consider a $200+ price tag nothing short of a publisher rape of already stretched and inadequate resources. Multiply this scenario by many courses and the problem is crystal clear to all who have had to endure this shameless profiteering. Harassment of your customer base through petty legal threats does not put the money in their pocket to pay the inflated prices charged by many. If four people each put in $50 to buy one copy of a $200 textbook and then share it why is it so outrageous for some to use a digital copy if they can’t afford a physical one?

You may feel that your industry “prices to have their books bought and not to make a huge profit”, but I assure you that that is not the view of those who are your customers. Your industry exists in a rather unique niche of the publishing world in that rather than having to compete and provide quality AND value (read=reasonable price) like mainstream publishers, you cater to a captive audience whose academic success or failure is directly tied to the required purchase of your product. It is quite apparent to most people that textbook publishers long ago realized this and ever since have exploited that fact by pricing at a standard totally in opposition to mainstream publishing.

I’m sure you would like to point out that a university press does not sell titles in the numbers that mainstream books do, and you’re absolutely correct. But $150, $200, $300 for a single hardback textbook? Your numbers sold may be lower than mainstream books but your costs of publishing/printing are in no way proportional to your sales prices. If you say they are, I will be happy to direct you to several vanity presses who will be happy to print high quality hardbacks in small numbers for a tiny fraction of what you charge. Your industry could easily cut retail prices in half and still be very profitable. But instead price gouging and outright banditry seems to be the order of the day.

So, if you are one of the minority of text publishers who do act responsibly by putting out a quality product at a FAIR and REASONABLE price, then I wish you well. I am not anti-business nor anti-profit. I am, however, irrevocably and steadfastly opposed to those who would take advantage of their industry’s unique position to pillage those who are, in most cases, struggling financially as it is to complete their education. And for THAT segment of your industry, I have no pity.

]]> By: sdc http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-507175 sdc Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:51:14 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-507175 As An Industry Slowly Dies....., I would urge you not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. As a university press publisher who spends a fair amount of time insuring that books are decently written and well-made, I feel that university presses do price to have their books bought and not to make a huge profit. We're the kind of folks who need people to buy books because if they don't we'll disappear and take at least some of our skills with us. And for people who only buy books for classes that may be okay, but for those of us who read other stuff, our absence might actually be felt (not to appear self-promoting or anything). As An Industry Slowly Dies….., I would urge you not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. As a university press publisher who spends a fair amount of time insuring that books are decently written and well-made, I feel that university presses do price to have their books bought and not to make a huge profit. We’re the kind of folks who need people to buy books because if they don’t we’ll disappear and take at least some of our skills with us. And for people who only buy books for classes that may be okay, but for those of us who read other stuff, our absence might actually be felt (not to appear self-promoting or anything).

]]> By: Online Piracy–The Next Generation « http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-506841 Online Piracy–The Next Generation « Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:32:49 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-506841 [...] “TextBook Torrents Turns The Final Page and Closes Down” TorrentFreak [...] [...] “TextBook Torrents Turns The Final Page and Closes Down” TorrentFreak [...]

]]> By: Kevin http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-506223 Kevin Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:10:30 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-506223 It's a damn shame. Textbook-Torrents was one of the best trackers around in terms of getting extremely rare and interesting material quickly. I sent Geekman an email wishing him the best in whatever he goes on to do. I hope another good textbook tracker springs up soon. It’s a damn shame. Textbook-Torrents was one of the best trackers around in terms of getting extremely rare and interesting material quickly. I sent Geekman an email wishing him the best in whatever he goes on to do. I hope another good textbook tracker springs up soon.

]]> By: As An Industry Slowly Dies..... http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-506164 As An Industry Slowly Dies..... Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:32:33 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-506164 As a member of TT, am I the only one wondering why Geekman left himself in a position of vulnerability in the first place? Common sense security practice nowadays for running a torrent site involves a couple of givens. 1. You don't register a domain or get a host using your real personal info. They can't sue if they can't find who you are. 2. Never, I repeat, NEVER use hosting or a server based within U.S. territory. This site should have been hosted anonymously and located in an area where Geekman would have had the luxury of telling the publisher's to go f**k themselves. But what's done is done. I'd like to express my thanks to Geekman for all the effort and hard work he put into running the site. Both the site, and Geekman himself, were always a class act from beginning to end. R.I.P. Textbook Torrents. :( And a word to the publishers.......My scanner will be getting quite the workout over the next month as I create new scans of your latest overpriced offerings. You bozos need to learn that you while you might kill a site, you don't kill us. Strike one down and 100 will rise to replace it. :) As a member of TT, am I the only one wondering why Geekman left himself in a position of vulnerability in the first place? Common sense security practice nowadays for running a torrent site involves a couple of givens.

1. You don’t register a domain or get a host using your real personal info. They can’t sue if they can’t find who you are.

2. Never, I repeat, NEVER use hosting or a server based within U.S. territory.

This site should have been hosted anonymously and located in an area where Geekman would have had the luxury of telling the publisher’s to go f**k themselves.

But what’s done is done. I’d like to express my thanks to Geekman for all the effort and hard work he put into running the site. Both the site, and Geekman himself, were always a class act from beginning to end.

R.I.P. Textbook Torrents. :(

And a word to the publishers…….My scanner will be getting quite the workout over the next month as I create new scans of your latest overpriced offerings. You bozos need to learn that you while you might kill a site, you don’t kill us. Strike one down and 100 will rise to replace it. :)

]]> By: Anonymous http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-505710 Anonymous Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:06:30 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-505710 I'd just like to point out that textbooks are a FORCED purchase, can't pass the class without the book. Also, the publishers re-releasing books each year with a change of cover and not much else only have to ship as many as will be purchased by checking class sizes. I'd also like to say that the majority of my books are $150+ not $75, now perhaps this is just me, but that seems like FAR too much. Anyway, eBooks can not, as of yet, replace the paper back. I mean some people can spend hours reading a monitor but not everyone. The times I used TbT I was using the eBook as a supplement, not a replacement. Anyway, these are just my thoughts on it, and I'm an advocate of free information. If the book is good enough, I'll go out and buy it, and there have been very few textbooks that meet that criteria, yet I am FORCED into purchasing them. If the publishers see more free books circulating maybe they will have more reasonable prices, or at least books that last till something really NEEDS to be revised. I’d just like to point out that textbooks are a FORCED purchase, can’t pass the class without the book. Also, the publishers re-releasing books each year with a change of cover and not much else only have to ship as many as will be purchased by checking class sizes. I’d also like to say that the majority of my books are $150+ not $75, now perhaps this is just me, but that seems like FAR too much. Anyway, eBooks can not, as of yet, replace the paper back. I mean some people can spend hours reading a monitor but not everyone. The times I used TbT I was using the eBook as a supplement, not a replacement. Anyway, these are just my thoughts on it, and I’m an advocate of free information. If the book is good enough, I’ll go out and buy it, and there have been very few textbooks that meet that criteria, yet I am FORCED into purchasing them. If the publishers see more free books circulating maybe they will have more reasonable prices, or at least books that last till something really NEEDS to be revised.

]]> By: sdc http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-505001 sdc Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:05:26 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-505001 Okay, let's do the math. If the publisher is getting $75 a book, and has printed 10,000 copies (for the sake of argument--this would make it an upper-division text), that means the publisher is getting $750,000 in revenue. Let's do the subtraction: $750,000 - 75,000 (10% royalty) ----------- $675,000 -100,000 (production at $10 a copy) ----------- $575,000 -100,000 (overhead) ------------ $475,000 - 47,500 (promotion) ------------- $427,500 So far it looks like they've invested $275,000 and made a profit of $475,000. That seems pretty good. Even if you want to add another $75,000 for warehousing, sales reps, and parties at conferences, that still leaves a profit rate of just over 100%, which seems pretty high to me. Most businesses don't have that high a rate of return. Okay, let’s do the math. If the publisher is getting $75 a book, and has printed 10,000 copies (for the sake of argument–this would make it an upper-division text), that means the publisher is getting $750,000 in revenue. Let’s do the subtraction:

$750,000
- 75,000 (10% royalty)
———–
$675,000
-100,000 (production at $10 a copy)
———–
$575,000
-100,000 (overhead)
————
$475,000
- 47,500 (promotion)
————-
$427,500

So far it looks like they’ve invested $275,000 and made a profit of $475,000. That seems pretty good. Even if you want to add another $75,000 for warehousing, sales reps, and parties at conferences, that still leaves a profit rate of just over 100%, which seems pretty high to me. Most businesses don’t have that high a rate of return.

]]> By: Free Culture News » TextBook Torrents closes http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-504603 Free Culture News » TextBook Torrents closes Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:03:14 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-504603 [...] TorrentFreak [...] [...] TorrentFreak [...]

]]> By: dp http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-504549 dp Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:25:26 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-504549 The average price a publisher sells to the bookstore at is approximately $75. That is after paying an advance to an author, paying for an editor to work with the author, digitizing the files, printing six semesters books, warehousing them for the three years, distributing them to colleges and universities around the world, taking back into inventory all that aren't sold and pulping those that remain unsold. Where is the unrealistic profit in this model??? The average price a publisher sells to the bookstore at is approximately $75. That is after paying an advance to an author, paying for an editor to work with the author, digitizing the files, printing six semesters books, warehousing them for the three years, distributing them to colleges and universities around the world, taking back into inventory all that aren’t sold and pulping those that remain unsold. Where is the unrealistic profit in this model???

]]> By: sdc http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-504546 sdc Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:19:54 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-504546 I've worked for a few publishers and I think it is important to distinguish between the large, corporate publishers (who have ridiculous expectations for the level of profit they should achieve and who shamelessly price gouge students) and university presses (who rarely make money at all). University presses need the sales of each book they publish just to keep doing what they do. No one is getting rich or taking home big salaries. In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that I work at a university press. We are doing what we can to sell books at an affordable price. I’ve worked for a few publishers and I think it is important to distinguish between the large, corporate publishers (who have ridiculous expectations for the level of profit they should achieve and who shamelessly price gouge students) and university presses (who rarely make money at all). University presses need the sales of each book they publish just to keep doing what they do. No one is getting rich or taking home big salaries. In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that I work at a university press. We are doing what we can to sell books at an affordable price.

]]> By: dh http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-504545 dh Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:17:36 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-504545 Criminal activity is criminal, no matter the cause. The author deserves to be rewarded for her effort, the publisher for taking the risk on the book, the distribution system for hauling the books, the bookstore for providing the easy access. Piracy is no more than criminal activity, depriving everyone in the chain their reward for effort expended. Criminal activity is criminal, no matter the cause. The author deserves to be rewarded for her effort, the publisher for taking the risk on the book, the distribution system for hauling the books, the bookstore for providing the easy access. Piracy is no more than criminal activity, depriving everyone in the chain their reward for effort expended.

]]> By: Keehlzver K. Schultez http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-504173 Keehlzver K. Schultez Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:37:48 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-504173 Really sad about the site. I love to find many books from Mathematic section, and now! It's gone. Thank you for all stuff and esteemed admin. Really sad about the site. I love to find many books from Mathematic section, and now! It’s gone.

Thank you for all stuff and esteemed admin.

]]> By: mike b http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-504126 mike b Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:00:16 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-504126 Well the only thing missing is: a) how do you start a torrent site? b) can't safe torrent sites like Pirate take over? Anyone know? Well the only thing missing is:

a) how do you start a torrent site?
b) can’t safe torrent sites like Pirate take over?

Anyone know?

]]> By: knownassociate http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-504102 knownassociate Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:28:12 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-504102 Geeks, You've done a heros' job. My best to you and Mittens,take a wello-earned break. And there are rumors, and rumors of rumors of a new site just starting being discussed in different fora. Geeks, You’ve done a heros’ job. My best to you and Mittens,take a wello-earned break.

And there are rumors, and rumors of rumors of a new site just starting being discussed in different fora.

]]> By: Janet Vandenabeele http://torrentfreak.com/textbook-torrents-turns-the-final-page-and-closes-down-081010/#comment-503789 Janet Vandenabeele Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:10:02 +0000 http://torrentfreak.com/?p=5466#comment-503789 I rarely put my whole or real name on comment sites, but this is such an important issue to me I don't care if the textbook companies know who I am or not. It's a real crime when textbooks cost $200 and are something you'll only need for a few weeks. Even if you keep your books, they're out of date pretty quickly. And when you have to buy 5 or 6 of them each semester ... Sure, people are paying but what does that mean? If you're lucky enough to be young and underwritten by the 'rents, well, they're paying. A lot of them are cashing in their retirement money to do that. I know, because I work in a retirement advisor's office and that's a sizeable chunk of what I do these days. If you're like me, trying to get an advanced degree to get a job like the one you got downsized out of, these outrageous prices are nonsensical. I'm borrowing up past my eyeballs. And don't tell me I can't buy virtually the same book in the "international" edition for half the price or less! I found out about TextBook Torrent too late and it didn't have any of the books I needed this semester anyway, bec. all the books I needed were relatively new. So I say to the textbook industry: You're WORSE than the RIAA, and that's not a complement, believe me! I wholeheartedly support ANY and ALL means of getting around your usurious pricing. If any of my books show up on LimeWire, I dare you to stop me from downloading it. No textbook is worth more than $50. No excuses. Fix your system or go down in flames. Get bailed out by the government lawyers, like the RIAA and people will STILL find a way around it. Someone will come along like iTunes and give us a cost-effective alternative you can't get around. And not a minute too soon. I rarely put my whole or real name on comment sites, but this is such an important issue to me I don’t care if the textbook companies know who I am or not.

It’s a real crime when textbooks cost $200 and are something you’ll only need for a few weeks. Even if you keep your books, they’re out of date pretty quickly. And when you have to buy 5 or 6 of them each semester …

Sure, people are paying but what does that mean? If you’re lucky enough to be young and underwritten by the ‘rents, well, they’re paying. A lot of them are cashing in their retirement money to do that. I know, because I work in a retirement advisor’s office and that’s a sizeable chunk of what I do these days.

If you’re like me, trying to get an advanced degree to get a job like the one you got downsized out of, these outrageous prices are nonsensical. I’m borrowing up past my eyeballs. And don’t tell me I can’t buy virtually the same book in the “international” edition for half the price or less!

I found out about TextBook Torrent too late and it didn’t have any of the books I needed this semester anyway, bec. all the books I needed were relatively new.

So I say to the textbook industry: You’re WORSE than the RIAA, and that’s not a complement, believe me! I wholeheartedly support ANY and ALL means of getting around your usurious pricing. If any of my books show up on LimeWire, I dare you to stop me from downloading it.

No textbook is worth more than $50. No excuses. Fix your system or go down in flames. Get bailed out by the government lawyers, like the RIAA and people will STILL find a way around it. Someone will come along like iTunes and give us a cost-effective alternative you can’t get around. And not a minute too soon.

]]>