--- Forwarded Message from Judy Shoaf <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 12:44:54 -0400
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum               <[log in to unmask]>
>From: Judy Shoaf <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #5711.1 Cheng & Tsui Pricing (!)
>Cc: <[log in to unmask]>

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>>From: Harold Hendricks <[log in to unmask]>

>Daniel Tom wrote that he will let Ted Yao know about the controversy. 
>It's too late.  Ted believes that IALL is boycotting his textbook based
>on one of the messages sent to this listserv.  I hope no such boycott is
>seriously being considered.

Since Prof. Yao has been very friendly re. these problems, I hope he is not
assuming that we are hostile to his book (as opposed to being hostile to
this one policy). I have enjoyed looking at his website, which he indicated
to me in an email last weekend--full of good information and materials.
The fact that the Chinese instructors at UF have actually raised the money
for the lab licenses (money that had to come from extraordinary sources,
since nobody budgets for such an item) makes it clear that Integrated
Chinese is worth the extra effort.

I would not be able effectively, even if I tried, to dictate to instructors
what series to use.  It is my observation that textbooks are chosen because
of the method by which they present the language, rather than because of the
"ancillaries," though such factors as ease of getting the materials, prices,
and restrictive licenses might well come into play if there were several
strong candidates. My job tends to be to cope with the confusion of the
specific licensing agreements various companies come up with, and among
these C&T's "third way" sticks out like a sore thumb.

I do think that Cheng and Tsui would do better to follow the policies that
are the norm in this country, even if it means charging a bit more for the
textbook and/or workbook to cover what is lost in selling the lab licences.
In my mind, it just isn't good enough to say "when we bought similar
materials from other sources, no duplication was allowed, so now we want to
keep on making money from them." 

Most companies DO give permission to copy the audio that accompanies
textbooks used in the language course, and that includes (here)  two Chinese
series, from 2 different American publishers, which Integrated Chinese
replaced, Japanese materials including some from Japan, and Portuguese,
Yoruba, Haitian Creole, Arabic, etc. On the other hand, if the textbook
can't be used without audio for which no license is available, the students
would buy the book bundled with the audio and, if necessary, their
scholarship would cover it. The only such cases I know of are materials for
learning English as a second language. There are also, of course, self-study
materials which instructors have purchased and placed in the labs, which we
can't copy. 

Judy Shoaf, one of the chief complainers!