Money against Knowledge-Who cares about students who are learning?

[Nicholas Kang]

My friend stopped subscribing from BBC Knowledge this February. This means I loss another source of Knowledge from the Scientific World. I used to borrow books from my friends nowadays. Why not purchasing them myself? Obviously, lack of money. An encyclopedia cost me at least RM 100 here in Malaysia. An ordinary science book, say Einstein Relatively Simple from one of our members, Ira Mark Egdall, here in the SFN, cost me RM 60. Something like 2 decades ago, a similar book would have cost RM 30-I borrowed one from my tuition teacher. You my argue such things are rare in the West as books there can be much cheaper. But in Malaysia, this is definitely not the case. We rely on Primary economic sectors- chief among them oil palm industry, rubber industry and petroleum/natural gas industries. These commodities heavily rely on market price. Sadly, we are incapable of dominating the market. Recently, WTI and Brent oil prices hit low and this has taken a toll on Malaysia`s economy. Moreover, 1st of April 2015, GST or Goods and Service Tax will start to be imposed on daily goods and luxury items. Unfortunately, my favourite-books aren`t on the exclusion list. Simply put, books are getting more expensive. Yet, GST isn`t going to be imposed on e-books.

 

Why? Why books? Isn`t it the government`s duty to promote people studying? Didn`t the government know harmful rays from computer/smartphone/tablet screen will harm our little eyes? And what about student? Shouldn`t there be some coupons or discount for students? Weaken Malaysian Ringgit, Plummeting Crude Oil Prices... a multitude of factors are bringing the storm of hell to Malaysia.

 

We heavily rely on imported goods. Books in libraries are outdated, torn and quite far from my home. Now, I can only rely on newspaper, be it English or Chinese, to catch up with science news. That is not enough, definitely. I don`t used to turn out my computer, and I have no smartphone and tablet. You may come out with other solutions-like requesting school to subscribe science magazines in a group (usually more than 15). But the problem is how many people will buy them? Does it worth the purchase?

 

Malaysia lacks the facility and infrastructure to conduct scientific experiments, despite its strategic location and rich heritages-ancient tropical rainforest for biology, spacecraft launching with lesser fuel (because it is on the equator) for space exploration. Malaysia has plenty of land, but most of them are used for cash crop plantations.

 

Can we build a Knowledge society when we are fogged by racial and religious issues (in Malaysia)? Can anyone advise a 16-year-old where to attain new scientific knowledge "in the midst of turmoil and hardships (economically)"? Can anyone comment on this please? Thanks.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Nicholas Kang

[ajb]

If you mean textbooks then some of the older ones maybe available online. Often the publisher will hand back the copyrights to the authors and you can find pdf versions online. I also find google books okay for the previews, but often the pages I actually want are missing! Of course, there are also unscrupulous people who post scans of books online, often on Russian servers, naughty Russians.

 

At undergraduate level you maybe able to find course notes online. Just google what you are after.

[MigL]

Life is far from fair.

 

My only advice would be " go west young man ".

I and my family immigrated to Canada from Italy.

My dad used to work in Switzerland and I saw him in the summer and Christmas time.

Both me and my brother have university degrees, and his son ( I have no kids, never married ) recently finished his Masters in Biology, obtained his teaching certification and works for an engineering firm doing Environmental Assessments.

 

Canada has provided, and continues to provide, opportunities which may or may not have been available to us in Italy.

[Sensei]

An encyclopedia cost me at least RM 100 here in Malaysia. An ordinary science book, say Einstein Relatively Simple from one of our members, Ira Mark Egdall, here in the SFN, cost me RM 60. Something like 2 decades ago, a similar book would have cost RM 30-I borrowed one from my tuition teacher.

 

I checked RM rate $0.281857.

Paying $28.2 for encyclopedia is pretty bargain.

Here encyclopedia cost $55 (80,000 entries)

Extended version with 140,000 entries, in 3 volumes, $115.4

Why books?

That's good question.

Science paper should be search able, to find any interesting part in any moment..

 

I am almost only buying novel books.

 

Isn`t it the government`s duty to promote people studying?

In part of western countries and USA especially studies started to be luxury..

You have to have a lot of money (from parents, spare work) or have to take loan, and start adult life from debt (additional pressure on "making money")..

 

Didn`t the government know harmful rays from computer/smartphone/tablet screen will harm our little eyes?

CRT monitors were/are harmful. But nowadays almost nobody use them. LCD/LED doesn't produce x-rays.

 

Malaysia lacks the facility and infrastructure to conduct scientific experiments,

Scientific experiments can be performed anywhere. Even with little or no infrastructure.

Do you think western countries XVII-XIX scientists had equipment and infrastructure?

They were making devices from what they had at hand.

It's just imagination that's limiting you.

 

Can we build a Knowledge society when we are fogged by racial and religious issues (in Malaysia)? Can anyone advise a 16-year-old where to attain new scientific knowledge "in the midst of turmoil and hardships (economically)"? Can anyone comment on this please? Thanks.

Read Physics History Database entries, one by one:

http://www.ultimate-theory.com/en/2015/1/27/physics-history-database

If you prefer paper version, print wikipedia articles.

[Delta1212]

 

I checked RM rate $0.281857.

Paying $28.2 for encyclopedia is pretty bargain.

Here encyclopedia cost $55 (80,000 entries)

Extended version with 140,000 entries, in 3 volumes, $115.4

It's a bargain if you're a tourist whose income is based in the dollar. The median US income is something like $40k. Somehow, I don't think the average annual income in Malaysia is 145,000 RM. Edited February 7, 2015 by Delta1212

[Sensei]

It's a bargain if you're a tourist whose income is based in the dollar. The median US income is something like $40k. Somehow, I don't think the average annual income in Malaysia is 145,000 RM.

I understand that. But look at it from economic point of view. Price of Malaysia's book should/could be higher, because it's 1) imported from west 2) imported data and then translated to local language (additional cost on translators, that must be scientists, to not introduce errors).

I am just saying that his price is 50% of our price (or 24% in extended version).

[CharonY]

Textbooks are, unfortunately, dastardly expensive. I know some in engineering that got books from Chinese publishers (but English texts) of some books at a fraction of the price here.

But there are also things like the Feynman lectures online for free.

[Delta1212]

I understand that. But look at it from economic point of view. Price of Malaysia's book should/could be higher, because it's 1) imported from west 2) imported data and then translated to local language (additional cost on translators, that must be scientists, to not introduce errors).

I am just saying that his price is 50% of our price (or 24% in extended version).

Rather than being an indication that they're getting a good deal, that could also be an indication that we're being screwed on the price even more than they are.

[fiveworlds]

Didn`t the government know harmful rays from computer/smartphone/tablet screen will harm our little eyes?

 

 

Hardly my uncle used computers in a well lit room for over 60 years and has perfect vision and they were the older monitors the newer ones are much better on the eyes.

 

CRT monitors were/are harmful.

 

 

True but x-rays really don't travel very far if you remained an appropriate distance away you were ok.

 

We heavily rely on imported goods. Books in libraries are outdated, torn and quite far from my home.

 

Which is very similar to my own home. You could add filled with irrelevant fiction as well. However our books are rarely imported we have many print factories

Edited February 8, 2015 by fiveworlds

[GPS]

Libraries are a disaster in the USA as well! Public libraries have a science section that contains about 10 books such as a basic bio book, chem book, astronomy book, back yard book on birds, etc. It's mostly filled with books on motherhood, aging well, romance novels, and popular fiction (Not even the classics!). On a rare account I found Netter's Anatomy. As far as the local university, which contains about 10,000 students, all the books are outdated by fifteen years or more, and do not go into depth for research purposes. The university's online article data base is equally pathetic, resulting in research articles of little signifcance from obsolete journals (Google Scholar usually pulls up better articles). And if you are looking for public records on-line in the USA, such an obituary and it happens to be out of a certain time range, you have to pay for an e-copy, or go to the main library! If you go west, go to a large university, or Europe, where I believe they hand out Athen's passwords. How are people suppose to be educated if they don't have access to good books or journal articles? Textbooks here are at least $100 or more per book, and usually one needs to barrow or buy additional books because the library is so poor.

[Lyudmilascience]

I feel so lucky that I get to go to college and afford textbooks eventhoungh I do not like my college. hopefully you will get to move out of Malaysia to somewhere where textbooks arnt that expensive. I always get really exited thinking about college because to me its not just an education, its opportunities and freedom, to meet people make friends, get close emotionally with people and make work connections, along with have a good time.(sorry if i misspell something, I try to do my best on this site)

[ajb]

hopefully you will get to move out of Malaysia to somewhere where textbooks arnt that expensive.

I think textbooks are generally expensive worldwide.

 

For some classical books, Dover Publishing reprint some at good prices.

[Lyudmilascience]

maybe he could find used ones then or out of print textbooks. Textbooks for colleges are really expensive but I wasnt sure if others, like highschool or general textbooks were expensive, I found a couple free textbooks on anatomy and physiology online for free without any unsafe or illegal torrent downloads.