he whole textbook issue is a sore point with me. I take an occasional class, towards a masters degree, and besides the outrageous cost, the issue is with professors requiring you to buy THEIR text books.

As a student it appears to me as someone padding their pocketbook. Also I'd like to have 2 different viewpoints/perspectives in a class, the author's and the professor's. Using a single textbook defeats that purpose.

I agree that a professor using his own textbook is a conflict of interest. I certainly believe students need various perspectives, but textbooks are a weird thing, so I don't know that you can really have a textbook that offers a different perspective in most subjects. A good textbook should offer both the agreed upon knowledge of the field and enduring controversies, with all perspectives given. Obviously, everyone has a particular side on these controversies, but you are supposed to given them fair exposure.