Flat World Knowledge Blog
What is Open?
Submitted by Jon Williams on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 11:52am.
I am a huge advocate of open source software, and now that I am CTO at an open textbook company, I am pondering the question "What is open?". Let me use the moniker "open product" for covering open source software and open textbooks (and if anyone has a better term, please let me know!).
Some criteria for an open product:-
1) A version of product available at no cost
2) A company developing an open product needs a revenue stream to support product development (in what manner those revenues are derived can vary widely)
3) Product needs to be remixable (in technology parlance, "mashable"), allowing for an even better product or use of product
As an open source expert once told me, "without revenue, there is no open source". I believe this applies to all open products.
Many, many products meet the above criteria for "open", let me pick a few:-
- Linux
- Google search
- Flat World Knowledge open textbooks
Not to say Flat World Knowledge open textbooks are in the same league as Linux and Google, but what's interesting is that each of these products provides different revenue streams. Redhat makes revenue by providing support to enterprise Linux users. Additionally, other companies like HP make revenue using Linux on their hardware (HP has claimed that open source software has accounted for billions in indirect, additional revenue sales). Google makes revenue selling keyword and ad placement inside their search results. Of all the open products, in my opinion Google has made the most significant revenue, and interestingly using that revenue to support other open products (i.e. Google docs, email, maps, etc.), which in turn can drive additional revenue.
At Flat World Knowledge, our revenue stream is selling print-on-demand textbooks in addition to our no cost online textbooks. We also sell additional material useful for students, including audio study guides, flash cards and quizzes.
In open source software, you get the "source code", which itself is changable and remixable (depending on creative commons licensing terms). At Flat World Knowledge, our open textbooks are "customizable" (i.e. changable) by educators who adopt our textbooks. They can move chapters and sections around, add anotations, and in the future do many other customizations with our open textbooks. It really is quite amazing how open products have really changed they way products are developed and used, with many, many more changes to come!
With new technology, the tech community at large looks for a moniker to understand and grab on for new concepts. Recent ones include "web 2.0", "cloud computing", and "NoSQL". I wonder what is the best moniker for covering open source software, open textbooks, open courseware, and other "open" things as a group? What about "open product"? I would like to hear from others if this works for the category, or if they have or have heard of better terms. Clearly, this is a space of growing interest, and we will benefit from have a term to describe this new concept wider than just open source software.
The Power of New
Submitted by Kimberly Richmond on Mon, 01/11/2010 - 1:49pm.
It’s that time again…back to school. There’s something about going back to school in January that’s refreshing and renewing. It’s a new year and time for resolutions like, “I’m not going to let things go until the last minute,” and “I’m actually going to study this semester.” It’s the crispness of the new notebooks, day planners, and the organization of the newly-created class folders on your hard drive that makes it feel like this semester is going to be a great one.
Keep It Low--A Flat World Spin on "Let It Snow"
Submitted by jeffshelstad on Wed, 12/16/2009 - 9:52am.
As we wrap up 2009, the most exciting year in Flat World Knowledge’s short history, we wanted to wish our readers a happy holiday season. We thought we would do it to the familiar sounds of a classic winter song, in this case Let It Snow. Our version is Keep It Low. So best wishes to all for an enjoyable holiday season and a prosperous year ahead. Here goes… please sing along.
Oh! The economy was a little frightful;
But students can still be delightful;
And since they don’t all have tons of dough;
Keep It Low; Keep It Low; Keep It Low!
So free access is equal for all;
Finals Week
Submitted by Scott McLean on Mon, 12/07/2009 - 10:50am.
The semester is drawing to a close, finals week is around the corner, and the text messages and emails are pouring in. Students I haven't seen or heard from in quite awhile want to know when the final is, what's on the final exam, how many chapters, is there a study guide, and do they have to take it.
Thanks to Our Friends of Flat World
Submitted by Sharon Koch-Schwarzmiller on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 9:10am.
We like to call the instructors who adopt our open textbooks "Friends of Flat World." The moniker works for a whole bunch of reasons; friends stand by you, they believe in you, they help you work through the stuff that isn't perfect about you, and appreciate you for those special things you bring to the relationship.
An Editor's Perspective on Open: Open Changes Everything
Submitted by Michael Boezi on Thu, 11/12/2009 - 8:21am.
No one is completely satisfied with textbooks. Not even the great textbooks. There's always something you would change. Something you would do differently.
Textbooks work when they are convenient. Certainly you can teach your course without one, but why not have something to help carry the teaching load? Let your textbook cover the basics so that you can do the fun stuff in class.
A Student's Perspective on Open
Submitted by Ashley Lara on Fri, 11/06/2009 - 10:34am.
Open. Access. Two words when strung together produce something beautiful: the cost of my education goes down.
It means I have the choice to pay what I see fit, in most cases, for a textbook that I need for class.
For all of my college career I paid premium prices for textbooks, spending nearly $600 a semester. But did I have a choice? No. Could I do anything about the prices of the books or the format in which I read them? No. Then along came Flat World Knowledge. Discovering them rocked my world, changed my perception on how things are and what they could be.
An Author's Perspective on Open: Choice & Flexibility
Submitted by Mason Carpenter on Wed, 11/04/2009 - 1:21pm.
As a Flat World Knowledge (FWK) author I’d like to let you know why I love “open.” To me, open means choice and flexibility. My FWK Principles of Management book let’s faculty pick and choose the chapters they want to include for their students, and then those very students can pick and choose the format they want to learn with – online (for free), or in other forms like paper or portable e-forms. You can even annotate the chapters online. And the process quick and easy! Quick and easy for faculty and students alike.
Online and "On the House"
Submitted by Sharon Koch-Schwarzmiller on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 11:38am.
Hi! I’m Sharon, and I work in marketing here at Flat World Knowledge.
I thought I could take up some space on our blog writing a little bit about us. One word kind of sums it up: OPEN.
We're not like: argue with your partner about who forgot to let the dog out on your cell phone in your office with the door open, OPEN.
But more like: we know you know you have a big head or follow Brittney Spears, and we're going to have a little fun at your expense, OPEN.
Coming to a Theater Near You: Movie-Oke
Submitted by Michael Solomon on Wed, 10/07/2009 - 11:07am.
Marketers continue to search for ways to let consumers experience their brands communally. There’s a huge difference between seeing a brand and living a brand.
That’s the logic behind the innovative Newsbreaker Live promotion we describe in Launch! Recall that moviegoers got treated to a group event where the audience’s movements controlled what they saw on the screen. When you help to direct the action you’re a lot more involved with the contents – in this case for SS+K’s client MSNBC.com.
