[refurb]

This is ridiculous take.

Textbooks aren't publishing what "was already paid for with taxpayer money". By that same logic if I write a book that summarizes all the scientific research in a certain area, then I don't deserve copyright. That makes no sense.

Writing a textbook is no different than writing a piece of fiction. It takes actual work to do, and it's original content.

And if you don't want to buy the latest edition for your class blame the professor. Most of them are too lazy to actually use older editions and save student hundreds of dollars.