re: #701 iossarian

Textbooks are one area where government regulation could instantly drive down the cost of attending college by a significant amount, simultaneously increasing the overall efficiency of the economy (by eliminating a largely useless function: that of printing minor “updates” to perfectly usable books).

I’m not all for government regulation in this regard since who is to decide what updates are important - some of them very much are important especially in the sciences with emerging technologies and information. I tried to make it easier on students by allowing for a pretty wide range of editions they could use, encouraging them to get used books. I made copies of added information not included in earlier additions, or pointed them out in lectures. Not hard to do.