Re: paleonet The threat of the Publishing Crises to Paleontologyand to the Commercial Publishers themselves

[Leigh Van Valen <leigh@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

  The problem has been around for quite a while, particularly for 
people and places with less money, and it keeps getting worse.  I 
published an analysis of it and related problems in 1975 and at that 
time resigned from the editorial board of the Journal of Molecular 
Evolution because of their pricing policy.  Mr. Springer, the head of 
the publishing company, tried to persuade me to continue, so it 
apparently bothered them.

  Since then I haven't published in such journals or cooperated with 
them in any way, including refereeing.  I've done the same for 
journals which have mandatory page charges, which discriminate 
against the impecunious here and abroad, including journals with 
mandatory charges only for longer papers.  I've founded a journal and 
a monograph series that lack such problems and are open to anyone, 
worldwide.  These practices have caused me various difficulties.  The 
difficulties would diminish if more people would take similar 
actions.  Anybody want to do so?

Leigh