different editions of textbooks

[Otis]

Somebody today wrote in the following question. I thought it was so perfect for this group I had to post it:

"What is the convention regarding different editions of textbooks: Should they be combined or kept separate? Unlike novels, etc., textbooks can change substantially between editions."

Our thinking has been that if the
different versions are significantly different (and that judgment is
obviously open to interpretation), then they should not be combined. But we'd hate to make rules you all didn't agree with. So weigh in!

[HT]

This seems sensible. If a majority of people disagree with a particular combining, the editions can always be separated.

[Kate]

I agree that a case-by-case consideration would have to be made. Some textbooks appear in new editions every year, even though the changes made are superficial; however, occasionally a textbook will be completely revamped (like, say, a polisci/IR text after 1991) to resemble the previous edition much less, and in that case it might make more sense to keep the new edition separate. Sort of like version 1.1 -> 1.2 vs. 1.9 -> 2.0.

The maintenance would be difficult, though. You'd have to be aware of the substantive differences between the editions in order to know they shouldn't be combined.