[Sigia-l] Is Google Threatening? (was Google vs. Knowledge Management)

[Laura Norvig]

At 4:00 PM -0500 1/31/03, Listera wrote:
>Here's another take on the *future*:
>
>[stuff deleted]
>
>Publishers Debate Future of Online Journals
><http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v284n8/ffull/jmn0823-1.html>
>Also:
><http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50C14FA385E0C718DDDA10894DA
>404482>
>
>I'm sure you aware of all the efforts to bring this antiquated niche into
>the 21st century. There's little doubt in my mind this is the future trend.

Absolutely, and I have been following the thorny of issue of 
scholarly journals and their online counterparts for some time. In 
the last ten years the cost of paper-based journals has skyrocketed 
to the point where most University librarians were forced to cancel 
all but the most popular subscriptions. Journals that offer online 
versions are not exactly cheap, and librarians bear the significant 
added cost of trying to figure out which content aggregator gives 
them the best deal, as well as struggling to understand the arcane 
licensing agreements that grant little to no Fair Use rights.

I'm all for the quaint notion that information wants to be free, but 
since we do live in a capitalist environment, scholarly publishing 
has to face similar issues as digital music distribution. Somebody, 
somewhere, has to get paid something for their efforts or they won't 
put forth the effort at all. (This doesn't mean I support the greedy 
European publishers who've gotten us into this mess to begin with.)

btw, would you care to send me the $2.95 I would need to read the 
second article?

Cheers,

Laura