Comments on: A protest

A protest

techgnollogic — Wed, 02 May 2001 10:15:20 -0800

A protest of scientific journals, organized by the Public Library of Science with the help of over 20,000 scientists and researchers world-wide, will begin in September 2001 unless old research papers are made freely available online.

By: elsar

elsar — Wed, 02 May 2001 10:22:25 -0800

not a bad idea, as it opens opportunities for scientists all over the world (recent article in the NYTimes about that) but, be careful of what you wish for it might just come true

By: nonharmful

nonharmful — Wed, 02 May 2001 13:06:36 -0800

Excellent initiative. Although it probably requires regulation.
What is 'freely available'? All individuals or only scientists?
What is 'old research' (in a weekly paper, such as the NEJM an old issue is one week, two weeks, a month, a year)? Why only biology and biomedical research?
Lot's of questions.
Oh, and BTW, I don't think the answer to the question 'How will journals make a living if they give away their papers for free?' is 'In the same way that a midwife can earn a living without keeping the babies that she delivers.'