Open access is a completely different issue from the "publishing racket." In fact, running an open access journal online is so much cheaper than a traditional journal its funny. However, the posting fees for many of these outlets amount to 1000s of dollars. Where is the money going? The reduced their costs by reducing the number of hard copies produced and left the charges the same or raised them.
I see NO reason that a posting charge should be anymore than $100. I can do a complete layout in about 15 min without any fancy software. The journal companies have software that automatically formats the articles. The webpage servicing probably amounts to 1-2 hrs a month. You figure it out. Malcolm On Sat, Sep 3, 2011 at 9:10 PM, Julie Messier <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Ecologers, > > A lab mate sent me a link to a newspaper article that I feel deserves > further discussion. In Brad Boyle's own words, it is 'a provocative and > important article in The Guardian on the racket of academic publishing': > http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/29/academic-publishers- > murdoch-socialist. > Also, see the original blog by George Monbiot: > http://www.monbiot.com/2011/08/29/the-lairds-of-learning/ for more > discussion on the topic. > > Are we really all being ripped off, or is this just another paranoia? If > academic publishers are indeed parasites, how do we break the vicious cycle > given that we do build our careers on publishing in high-end journals? Can > open access journals ever become 'high-end'? > > Julie Messier > > -- > PhD Candidate, > Ecology and Evolutionary Biology > University of Arizona > -- Malcolm L. McCallum Oceania University of Medicine Managing Editor, Herpetological Conservation and Biology "Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive" - Allan Nation 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction MAY help restore populations. 2022: Soylent Green is People! The Seven Blunders of the World (Mohandas Gandhi) Wealth w/o work Pleasure w/o conscience Knowledge w/o character Commerce w/o morality Science w/o humanity Worship w/o sacrifice Politics w/o principle Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
