Is it worth to register with the Ebook option?

CFA Level II
#1

I know it s only $30 more to get the bundle with ebook option. Is it easy to access or read the ebook version from an Ipad?

#2

No. Its not worth it.

#3

I wouldn’t get the e-book for 3 reasons.

  1. I don’t use CFAI material. I use Schweser.
  2. PDF’s on the iPad are hard to use.
  3. I will have the hard copies of the book for ever and ever, amen.

That being said, if

  1. You like CFAI material,
  2. You’re going to study on a computer where PDF’s are easy to maneuver, the screen is nice and big (and you can have multiple screens so you can look at two different pages simultaneously), and
  3. You don’t care to keep your material in hard-copy format for ever and ever,

Then I’d get the e-book.

#4

I thought getting the physical copy was more expensive?

I ordered physical copies for L1, but have never gone back to them. They’re collecting dust now. I didn’t make the same mistake for L2.

ddrobinett’s information is not entirely true (sorry, ddrobinett, mean no offense). For reading CFAI books on your PC, you’ll need a software called VitalSource Bookshelf. It is similar to a PDF reader, but a lot more useful. Any e-book you purchase will be yours to keep. The software can be activated on two machines, and you can manage these machines from VitalSource’s website.

One nice thing about e-books is, you’ll end up receiving automatic updates for errata throughout the year. So for example, the appedices were missing from V1… had you ordered physical books, you would have never received the “updates.” E-book owners were able to update over the Internet, so I now have the appendices.

E-books can be “sneaked” into work on your laptop. Good luck explaining to your boss about that big equity volume sitting on your desk. Of course, if your work doesn’t allow you to bring your own device, then there’s no argument here.

Finally, if you have e-books, you can copy/paste stuff elsewhere. This is how I compile 95% of my notes!

One annoying thing (and this is more a limitation of the VitalSource software, IMO): when you’re working on problems, it is a pain in the behind to jump back and forth between sections. Unlike books, you can’t use bookmarks, so navigation is a bit of an issue. However, this is not a dealbreaker for me.

Ultimately, it comes down to what makes you more productive. I am more productive on my laptop/tablet. If you prefer physical books, then ignore the input :).

Forgot to mention: The VitalSource app for iPad has 3 stars in the App Store, so you be the judge. If you’re going to use features like highlighting, you’ll have better luck on a PC. However, the highlights are sync’d to the cloud, so something you highlight on the PC, will also be highlighted on your iPad, and vice versa.

#5

Hey guys, thanks for all your inputs. I think I’m going with both hard copies and ebook version, I should be able to sell the hard copies for $30 if I don’t need it. :slight_smile:

#6

I’m using the dead tree CFAI.

One advantage of the ebook is that you can search for terms easier (bringing you to topics you want to find faster).

#7

It’s weird that some errata are updated, and some are not. As an example:

“Book 4, Reading 33: In the second T=10 line of Exhibit 5 (p. 151), delete the zero immediately before (1.08).”

I’m quite sure this is not corrected in my ebook, is yours?

#8

i wish i had ordered bundle or printed (like i did in L1). stupid me ordering e-book :frowning:

#9

$30 is probably not a big deal and I would not demonize the eBook - I use only the eBooks. But there are simply people who like to have everything printed out. As to holding the books forever the material seems useful only if you are going to take part in the exam in a couple of months - what’s the use of the materials which are 3 years old?

I just add that the eBook enables you to access the materials online so you can access it from any computer with internet connection which is a very nice alternative to carrying a couple of books anywhere you move. Besides I believe you do not really need to have printed out that thousand pages in order to pass the test.

#10

I had ordered the ebook version for my Dec 2012 L1 and I wasnt very happy with it and am going to go with the print version alone for L2. Some of my ebook experiences:

  1. Though I prepared entirely from the CFAI material, in the end I panicked after seeing all my friends going through kaplan… I had e-copies of kaplan too and it was very difficult alt-tab ing btwn the 2…

  2. The Vitalsource bookshelf software is pretty advanced with features like audio readout of the books etc… but useful only for people who are already familiarreading books through it… I found the UI very cumbersome and difficult to handle unlike a pdf…

  3. Incase you have got problems with your system (my laptop’s damn screen issues…) forget about the ebook version… your system would play up at the most crucial revision sessions…

  4. Vitalsource allows you to access the books from only 2 systems at a time… so if you are planning on using the ebooks from more than 3 location (home PC, work PC and Tab) it wont work

And am also not very sure about the automatic errata correction… it never seemed to happen to me…

so if you think you ll definitely not face such problems then you can get just the ebook version

#11

also if you get the ebook version you wont have access to them after 5 years… and am pretty sure that it is after 5 years that i would have to refer to these books again coz i would have definitely lost all the CFA stuff from my mind by then cheeky

#12

Please elaberate. I can’t find audio reading of the book anywhere.