[LON-CAPA-users] Problem copyright in lon-capa and webwork

[Lars Jensen]

Hi Everyone,

As a part of the early lon-capa pilot team, I recall that one of the
arguments that problems had to be published without code was copyright
issues. The argument was that the big publishers would not allow us to
use their textbook problems unless the code was off limits. I am not
sure this argument is correct anymore. As an example, take a look at
webwork (http://webwork.maa.org/) and the way they handle publication
of problems.

A list of the textbooks that have problems coded for webwork is
included below. As you can see a lot of the big calculus books from
the big publishers are included in webwork. Not only are the problems
included with webwork, but all problems in webwork are published open
code in a "National Problem Library." Further, any instructor owning a
webwork course can copy any problem in the library, modify it, save
it, and use it in any course. There are a lot of problems in webwork,
the National Problem Library include over 25000 problems and is
growing every semester.

So my question is whether lon-capa shouldn't adopt the same model of
problem sharing? Why can't lon-capa publish publisher problems with
open code when webwork can. After all, the big physics and math
textbook authors use the same publishers.

Lars.

List of textbooks with end-of-chapter problems included in webwork and
published with code:

Algebra Form and Function by McCallum, Connally, and Hughes-Hallett (edition 1)
Basic Multivariable Calculus by Marsden, Tromba Weinstein (edition 3)
Calculus Early Transcendentals by Stewart (edition 4)
Calculus Early Transcendentals by Stewart (edition 6)
Calculus ll by Jerrold Marsden and Alan Weinstein (edition 2)
Calculus I by Jerrold Marsden and Alan Weinstein (edition 2)
Calculus: Early Transcendentals by James Stewart (edition 5)
Calculus' Earl Transcendentals by Rogawski edition 1
Calculus: Early Transcendentals by Stewart (edition 5)
Calculus: Early Transcendentals by Stewart (edition 6)
Calculus by Anton (edition 7)
Calculus by Dale Marberg, Edwin J. Purcell, and Steye E. Ptigdon (edition 9)
Calculus by Dale Marberg, Edwin J. Purcell, and Steyen E. Ptigdon (edition 9)
Calculus by Ellis and Gullick (edition IJ)
Calculus by Hughes-Hallett (edition IJ)
Calculus by Hughes-Hallett (edition 4)
Calculus by Huqhes-Hallett (edition 5)
Calculus by Stewart (edition 5)
Calculus by Stewart (edition 6)
Calculus by Marberg. Purcell. Rigdon (edition 9)
College Algebra by Stewart, Redlin. Watson (edition 3)
Complex Analysis by Saff. Snider (edition 3)
Discrete Mathematics by Rosen (edition 4)
Elementary Linear Algebra by Larson. Edwards. Falyo (edition 5)
Essentials of Intermediate Algebra by Ellitzer (edition 1)
Financial Mathematics by Holt (edition 1)
Functions Modeling Change by Connally (edition 3)
Functions Modeling Change by Connally (edition 4)
Intermediate Algebra by Ron Larson and Robert P. Hostetler (edition 4)
Mathematical Applications by Ronal J. Harshbarger and James J.
Reynolds (edition B)
Mathematical Applications by Ronald J. Harshbarger and James J.
Reynolds (edition B)
Mathematical Statistics by Wackerly. Mendenhall. Scheaffer (edition 6)
Precalculus by Ron Larson and Robert Hostetler (edition 7)
Precalculus by Stewart, Redlin. Watson (edition 3)
Statistics for Management and Economics by Keller. Warrack (edition 6)
The Basic Practice of Statistics by David Moore (edition 5)