[Athen] [ATHEN] Battling pricy textbooks with open-source texts, social media

[Kelmer, Susan M.]

I have a completely different take on this than Ron.  Open Source WORKS
and it also makes money.  There are plenty of bands and authors that
would not be known at all today if they didn't start out by giving away
their work for free.  Surprisingly, the old business model of "nothing
free" doesn't work these days, and "free" is working AND earning money.
Doesn't make sense with the traditional economics we all learned in
school, but in the actual working, people ARE making money and making it
well after becoming recognized by publishing for free.

It does mean a corporate shift for many, and plenty of businesses still
haven't figured out that open source/free does work, and does make
money.  The music industry is the most steadfast in following the old
ways and the old economics, but it hasn't stopped open source, and it
won't.

Susan Kelmer
Adaptive Technology Specialist/
Lab Coordinator, Campus Labs and Classrooms
St. Louis Community College - Meramec
314-984-7951