Update: I first saw this boycott less than a week ago. At the time there were a bit more than 1,500 scientists listed. As of this typing it is now at 3,297 scientists. There really must be some very upset people out there. The emotions must run deep.
I'm not sure Open Access is the answer either, sadly. The very notion that the author should pay to have their work published is, in main stream publishing, seen as unethical. I believe this to be the biggest flaw to Open Access and why, although it sounds good, has some real difficulties in practice.
Another side of the argument is that all papers should be deposited in a free database. But nothing is really "free". For a free and open database to work the electricity bill still has to be paid by someone.
There is a huge difference between "freely accessible" and "free - zero cost".
Wow. Haven't seen such a long list of pissed off scientists ever before. Seems that the business of journal publishing is definitely making some rather unsatisfied customers.
Chris Wilkins
Update: I first saw this boycott less than a week ago. At the time there were a bit more than 1,500 scientists listed. As of this typing it is now at 3,297 scientists. There really must be some very upset people out there. The emotions must run deep.
Chris Wilkins
I'm not sure Open Access is the answer either, sadly. The very notion that the author should pay to have their work published is, in main stream publishing, seen as unethical. I believe this to be the biggest flaw to Open Access and why, although it sounds good, has some real difficulties in practice.
Another side of the argument is that all papers should be deposited in a free database. But nothing is really "free". For a free and open database to work the electricity bill still has to be paid by someone.
There is a huge difference between "freely accessible" and "free - zero cost".
Hans Ricke
Will academics' boycott of Elsevier be the tipping point for Open Access -- or another embarrassing flop?
[BTW: how to edit the link here? sorry about the doubling - works, though]
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Join ResearchGate now to read this comment.Chris Wilkins
Wow. Haven't seen such a long list of pissed off scientists ever before. Seems that the business of journal publishing is definitely making some rather unsatisfied customers.