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Page 3 • Friday, January 31, 2003
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By Kelcey Rieger
THE BATTALION
Alex Von Rosenberg, Texas A&M Class of
1988, started with an idea that has evolved into
Atomic Dog, a publishing company which offers
online versions of college textbooks.
“Atomic Dog Publishing stemmed from an
idea to make more valuable, flexible, student-
focused textbooks available to students at a low
price,” said Von Rosenberg, founder and chief
marketing officer of Atomic Dog Publishing.
“We acquire the original text from the publishers
and combine them with the rich capabilities of
digital media to create a new and better kind of
publishing.”
James Galanos, a freshman general studies
major, said he spent about $400 on textbooks
this semester.
“I don’t really remember what I paid for my
textbooks first semester because I reserved them
during my new student conference ” Galanos
said. “But I know I spent more this semester,
mainly because of a pricey geology book I had
to purchase.”
Galanos said he would like to see textbooks
priced cheaper because he said they are over
priced, especially since they are aimed at college
students who are low on cash anyway.
“The case with my geology book was ridicu
lous,” Galanos said. “It came in shrink wrap and
prior to the first day of class I had unwrapped it.
Unbeknownst to me there was a professor change
formy class which caused the book to change.
Luckily I was able to talk to the manager and I
was allowed to return the book.”
Jason Racca, a sophomore kinesiology major,
said the Internet is a convenient way to access
class material.
“The Internet offers an easier alternative to
biying books,” Racca said. “(There are) no lines
towait in, no bookstore hassles, and it is cheaper.”
Racca said he enjoys the Internet’s conven
ience, but favors textbooks’ mobility.
“I think it would be great to have both ele
ments combined,” Racca said. “Regular text
books and Internet both have their advantages.”
The advantage of having the Internet and print
versions at a student’s fingertips is the reason
Von Rosenberg chose to pursue this next step in
textbook publishing, he said.
“Students and professors have two options
when buying published material from Atomic
Dog,” he said. “They can either purchase just the
print version of the text or purchase the printed
text as well as access to the online text.”
Atomic Dog’s printed and online package
offers a traditional textbook and the Internet’s
unlimited resources: interactive figures, online
quizzes and study guides, personalized highlight
ing and personalized notes and links.
This merging of print and electronic media is
now being used in A&M classrooms.
Departments such as agricultural development,
management and industrial distribution are now
using Atomic Dog textbooks as part of their reg
ular curriculum.
Greg Frehricks, a senior industrial distribution
major, said he used the Atomic Dog textbook
“Research Methods Knowledge Base” in one of
his industrial distribution classes.
“The best thing about that book was it was
relatively inexpensive for what it offered,”
Frehricks said. “Because it was the whole pack
age, textbook and Internet, I could go about
studying in several different ways. It really con
tributed to my understanding of the material.”
Jessica Daily, a junior English major, said the
Internet is convenient when it comes to getting
class notes off the Web, but she is partial to the
traditional textbook.
“I like to have the actual book,” Daily said. “I
don’t feel having everything online is as secure
as having the book right in front of me. I like to
highlight and re-read. Text online does not give
me this opportunity.”
Although views vary among students. Von
Rosenberg said Atomic Dog Publishing is lifting
the bar for other textbook publishing companies
to offer quality material at an affordable price.
FRANK CHANCE • THE BATTALION
“We are a company of former Aggies,” Von
Rosenberg said. “And this is shown through what
our company represents to our customers: loyal
ty, energy, and fight. Our customers are the stu
dents and professors and we know the customer
sets the rule in our market.”
... ■■ -
11 become
president ofi
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held the sail
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ISC Council,
fake Web site reports Olsen
twins to attend Ohio colleges
CINCINNATI (AP) - Ohio colleges
were inundated with calls after a fake
Web site reported that twin teenage
actresses Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen
had applied for admission.
"We'd be happy to give them a tour if
they want to stop by, and we might even
buy them lunch," University of Cincinnati
spokesman Greg Hand said Wednesday.
"There's no truth to it. They didn't
apply. And Britney Spears isn't coming
either," said University of Dayton
spokeswoman Teri Rizvi.
"We're expecting 13,000 applications
this year... for 3,450 slots, but we'd be
happy to have 13,002 applications," said
University of Miami spokeswoman Holly
Wissing.
Current and prospective students
called admissions officers in droves after
seeing the fake links Tuesday and
Wednesday. The sites since have been
removed from the Web.
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
The hoax is "all over the country," said
Michael Pagnotta, a spokesman for the
Olsens, who debuted as infants on the
ABC sitcom "Full House" in 1987.
Actress Frost suffering from
severe postnatal depression
LONDON (AP) - Sadie Frost, the
actress wife of screen star Jude Law, is in
a London clinic suffering from severe
postnatal depression.
Frost, 34, was admitted to the $1,600-
a-night Cromwell Hospital over the
weekend, immediately after returning to
Britain from Los Angeles, where news
paper reports said she'd marked her
wrists in a "suicide scare."
In a statement released Thursday
through publicist Simon Halls, Law said
his wife was "feeling very blue" after the
premature birth of their third child,
Rudy, in September.
"This depression can be a serious
thing and it has left Sadie feeling very
sad and run down and she is just trying
to get a handle on it," Law said in the
statement.
"She has had so much on her plate
recently and realizes she needs help
and to catch her breath. Not only
does she have to look after four chil
dren — including a baby — she runs a
successful business and has been
overseeing the refurbishment of our
new house."
Law, 30, has returned to the couple's
north London home to care for their
three children.
Ihe fall and spring ses
Jays and exam periods;.'
5TMASTER: Send
13-1111.
/in the Division ofSMtr
onald Building. New
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