Re: [tlug] Open Access Journals

[Darren Cook <darren@example.com>]

> I'm more worried that the "open" in open access journals is not quite
> the same as open source software.  Open access journals have simply
> shifted the cost from the readers to the authors.

Actually, this *is* the open source business model: the producer pays,
the consumer gets it for free.

The "pay me $2500 to publish it" model is (loosely) equivalent to the
Kickstarter-financed model where development cost is explicit and up-front.

Some journals are being produced as labours of love, in spare time, just
as some open source code is.

But most (*) open journals seem to be produced by groups of academics,
spread across universities, using university facilities and their
research time; just like most of the development on the well known open
source projects is done inside companies.

Darren

*: Actually I've no idea if that is "most". I think many people
advocating open journals are hoping it will end up as "most".

I wonder if St.Elsevier will become the patron saint of Open Access
Journals, for providing the inspiration and motivation :-)