From: Paul Thind (cma$##$bluewin.ch)
Date: Thu May 25 2000 - 08:59:30 EDT
> Dear Friends,
>
> Henry Rezepa has raised the profile of a topic which has been of general
> concern to educators, scientists and our community of chemist for
sometime.
>
> This phenomena of the global economy moving to a more capitalist model has
> been going on for sometime in all aspects of economic life and information
> (in particular scientific information - high value added content) is no
> exception. As a community we can do something about it. But I disagree
with
> some of the suggestions put forward, in particular that perhaps
individuals
> should start selling their manuscripts (presumably to the highest bidder).
>
> Most Scientists in the world are employees of companies or public
> institutions. One can argue that they are already being compensated for
> their output. This approach will not solve any problems facing the
majority
> of students and scientists from around the world and may create new
> problems.
>
> What needs to happen is quite the reverse. The Scientific community needs
to
> organize itself through not-for-profit organizations in order to publish
> research results at cost or for free.
>
> However our experience shows that at least our own community of organic
> chemists is very poorly organized and not yet sufficiently motivated to
take
> advantage of some existing initiatives which can benefit everyone.
>
> Almost a year ago we established the not-for-profit ARKAT Foundation. Its
> sole aim is to publish a free online journal of organic chemistry which is
> available to the global community. The project is being funded by an
initial
> donation of a substantial sum of money from Alan Katritzky & Linde
> Katritzky. The funding level is sufficient for us to make this service
> available for at least 3-5 years during which time we are confident in
> generating other revenue streams to make it secure for ever. The details
are
> on www.arkat.org .
>
> One might have assumed that authors would be knocking on our doors wishing
> to publish and share their results, with the widest possible distribution,
> and at no cost to themselves or the user. This has not been the case.
>
> We are publishing. Two Issues of the Journal are now online. Third is on
the
> way. But we could be publishing ten to twenty times as many manuscripts as
> we are presently receiving. Not even all Professors on our Board of
Referees
> have submitted a manuscript!
>
> We can help authors in publishing their books. We can help the chemistry
> community to have its own cost effective databases.
>
> We could be publishing other educational material free or at no or very
low
> cost in accordance with the author's wishes.
>
> I can only challege all of you. We have a solution to these problem.
Anyone
> who is concerned about the high cost of journals, books, databases is
> encouraged to join us in this project. I would like to hear about reasons
> for not publishing in Arkivoc!
>
> Please forgive me if I seem to be pouring cold water on a very important
> debate!
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
>
> Paul Thind
> CEO ARKAT Foundation
> Schanzeneggstrasse 1
> 8002 Zurich
>
> Tel: 411 201 9700
>
>
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> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Eva Horn Moeller <ehorn$##$medchem.dfh.dk>
> To: Multiple recipients of list orglist <orglist$##$dq.fct.unl.pt>
> Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2000 9:47 AM
> Subject: ORGLIST: Information - Revolution?
>
>
> Dear all,
> this is indeed a very important and critical issue, and I am wholly
> surprised that I havenīt thought of this or have heard a discussion of
> this kind yet.
>
> It is in fact absurd that the scientific habit of sharing information
> globally is taken advantage of by the publishers. Many libraries cannot
> lift the economic burden of keeping e.g. CAS, and many departments, as
> some of you mention, end up choosing between very slow and difficult -
> or very expensive access to chemical info. Now, the publishers can set
> the price at any level they choose, and the libraries just have to pay.
> Maybe we have been too naive. Especially because we, the researchers, in
> theory have the power to shut off the commercial scientific publishing
> at very short notice.
>
> I really feel that something should be done about this, and the
> discussion ought to be taken to a higher level. What are the opinions of
> e.g. the Royal Chemical Society and the American Chemical Society on
> this issue?
>
> Best regards,
> Eva Horn Moeller
> (MSc, PhD)
> The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy
>
> __________________
>
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> List coordinator: Joao Aires de Sousa (jas$##$mail.fct.unl.pt)
>
>
>
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