From: Darren Rhodes (drhodes$##$globalnet.co.uk)
Date: Wed May 24 2000 - 18:19:16 EDT
Ever since I discovered the ibm patent server
(http://patent.womplex.ibm.com) where patents can be obtained for $3.00 (as
far back as 1970); I have been disturbed by the lack of availability of
other sources chemical information.
The ibm patent server proves that someone is competent enough to make a
profit by making scientific information cheaply available to whoever wishes
to have it. So, why don't the chemical societies (RSC, ACS) provide a
similar service? The members of these societies have most probably paid for
this service many times over through their subscription fees. The authors
of the papers would most probably re-submit them (within reason) in a
suitable format for archiving/accessing. Yet, if we are not with some
academic institution or a large company, the members of these societies are
'information have nots'. To make matters worse; by charging so much for
making the literature available on line the societies are exposing
themselves to the criticism that they are racketeering.
I look forward to reading anyone else's opinion on this subject.
Darren Rhodes.
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