Well, it is in part a general principle. As a non-prof we
are, in effect partially subsidized by the government and
should not be involved in competition with commerical
enterprise. Our subsidy exists to help us do stuff that
private enterprise can't or won't do. Call me an old
fashioned republican and I'll boil over use words I learned
form my grandmothers, but nonetheless that's my view of the
role of government in business.
A more local (to AGA specifically) reason is that, if
commerical enterprises are doing it, there's no *need* for
us to do it. That's been the policy of AGA book-selling, as
I understand it, and I think it is a good and proper one.