Comments on: Kaplan releases Stanza iPhone e-books in law and nursing: Almost 45 percent of its students will have access to Apple mobile devices http://www.teleread.com/drm/kaplan-releases-stanza-iphone-e-books-in-law-medicine-and-nursing-almost-45-percent-of-its-students-will-use-apple-mobile-devices/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:28:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.com/drm/kaplan-releases-stanza-iphone-e-books-in-law-medicine-and-nursing-almost-45-percent-of-its-students-will-use-apple-mobile-devices/comment-page-1/#comment-1144978 David Rothman Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:55:59 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/12/kaplan-releases-stanza-iphone-e-books-in-law-medicine-and-nursing-almost-45-percent-of-its-students-will-use-apple-mobile-devices/#comment-1144978 Helpful comments, Steve, and I hope others jump into the discussion with their own. In fairness to Kaplan, it's possible that the books will show up in formats usable on other machines. But a far, far better solution would be to use the ePub standard and make the files <em>easily</em> extractable for display on a number of devices. Kaplan, as I've noted in my post, should consider the use of social DRM. Thanks, David Helpful comments, Steve, and I hope others jump into the discussion with their own.

In fairness to Kaplan, it’s possible that the books will show up in formats usable on other machines.

But a far, far better solution would be to use the ePub standard and make the files easily extractable for display on a number of devices. Kaplan, as I’ve noted in my post, should consider the use of social DRM.

Thanks,
David

]]> By: Steve Jordan http://www.teleread.com/drm/kaplan-releases-stanza-iphone-e-books-in-law-medicine-and-nursing-almost-45-percent-of-its-students-will-use-apple-mobile-devices/comment-page-1/#comment-1144906 Steve Jordan Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:04:07 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/12/kaplan-releases-stanza-iphone-e-books-in-law-medicine-and-nursing-almost-45-percent-of-its-students-will-use-apple-mobile-devices/#comment-1144906 I agree with the fact that porting these books only to iPhone/iTouch is being very shortsighted and disadvantageous, not just to those with special needs, but to anyone, special needs or not. Given the way students use computers to work and study, having the textbooks available on a full PC or laptop would make it much easier to use. In addition, some people simply have problems reading the small text on the iPhone/iTouch. That's not even a special needs issue, that's a fairly common vision issue. If this is Kaplan's idea of producing e-books whilst, at the same time, protecting their content, it is going too far... or not far enough. They need to open these texts to use on any device that can read standard formats. I agree with the fact that porting these books only to iPhone/iTouch is being very shortsighted and disadvantageous, not just to those with special needs, but to anyone, special needs or not.

Given the way students use computers to work and study, having the textbooks available on a full PC or laptop would make it much easier to use. In addition, some people simply have problems reading the small text on the iPhone/iTouch. That’s not even a special needs issue, that’s a fairly common vision issue.

If this is Kaplan’s idea of producing e-books whilst, at the same time, protecting their content, it is going too far… or not far enough. They need to open these texts to use on any device that can read standard formats.

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