5 ms·

What value do publishers provide? Why don't new companies disrupt the space seeing that physical mediums are long gone?

by obblekk 13y ago

sparkie 13y ago
Publishers provide cock-waving value. That is, most academics are concerned with advancing their careers (or lack of), and well-established journals are still a big thing for the people running the institutions. The physical medium is long gone, but for format is still the same - essentially non-interactive PDFs which emulate the paper.
- Fomite 13y ago
  > The physical medium is long gone, but for format is still the same - essentially non-interactive PDFs which emulate the paper. A surprising number of academics, including young academics (and myself) print out PDFs of papers. Most papers I actually use in my research end up with highlighter marks, different sections circled, annotations and notes to myself in the margins, etc.
  - sparkie 13y ago
    Paper will probably still be used for as long as it is more convenient - as long as the software and hardware isn't as readily available to do what you need with the same ease. I've gotten used to using Okular with a graphics tablet for highlighting and annotations, but the biggest benefit of electronic copies is organization.
Fomite 13y ago
First, as I noted in a lower comment, the physical mediums aren't long gone. Second, Publishers provide some value - they aggregate editors and peer reviewers, they provide copy editing and layout services, and yes, they produce actual physical copies of the journals. These could be provided by other means, but most of those involve more work for the researcher. And after reading a vast swath of LaTeX layout papers, I value their layout services if nothing else. Third, you seem to be assuming new companies aren't "disrupting the space". PLoS has been doing so for years, and PeerJ and eLife are picking up steam.
- obblekk 13y ago
  Well by physical mediums I meant distribution. If you print out PDFs, then that's exactly my point- it seems less necessary to deliver a bound magazine every month. But I understand your other two points.
  - Fomite 13y ago
    I confess for the three journals I read most frequently, I also get paper copies delivered, because I find I browse and have ideas cross pollinate better that way.
HarryHirsch 13y ago
Reputation management. The first thing anyone will do when they see a paper is check what journal it came in to see if it's worth reading. Any disruption would have to come from within academia, and it is coming because libraries simply cannot afford subscription packages any longer, especially packages from commercial publishers. Journals from scientific societies are less outrageously priced, although they are still bad.

What value do publishers provide? Why don't new companies disrupt the space seeing that physical mediums are long gone?

by obblekk 13y ago

What value do publishers provide? Why don't new companies disrupt the space seeing that physical mediums are long gone?

Publishers provide cock-waving value. That is, most academics are concerned with advancing their careers (or lack of), and well-established journals are still a big thing for the people running the institutions. The physical medium is long gone, but for format is still the same - essentially non-interactive PDFs which emulate the paper.

Fomite 13y ago
> The physical medium is long gone, but for format is still the same - essentially non-interactive PDFs which emulate the paper. A surprising number of academics, including young academics (and myself) print out PDFs of papers. Most papers I actually use in my research end up with highlighter marks, different sections circled, annotations and notes to myself in the margins, etc.
- sparkie 13y ago
  Paper will probably still be used for as long as it is more convenient - as long as the software and hardware isn't as readily available to do what you need with the same ease. I've gotten used to using Okular with a graphics tablet for highlighting and annotations, but the biggest benefit of electronic copies is organization.

Fomite 13y ago

First, as I noted in a lower comment, the physical mediums aren't long gone. Second, Publishers provide some value - they aggregate editors and peer reviewers, they provide copy editing and layout services, and yes, they produce actual physical copies of the journals. These could be provided by other means, but most of those involve more work for the researcher. And after reading a vast swath of LaTeX layout papers, I value their layout services if nothing else. Third, you seem to be assuming new companies aren't "disrupting the space". PLoS has been doing so for years, and PeerJ and eLife are picking up steam.

obblekk 13y ago
Well by physical mediums I meant distribution. If you print out PDFs, then that's exactly my point- it seems less necessary to deliver a bound magazine every month. But I understand your other two points.
- Fomite 13y ago
  I confess for the three journals I read most frequently, I also get paper copies delivered, because I find I browse and have ideas cross pollinate better that way.

HarryHirsch 13y ago

Reputation management. The first thing anyone will do when they see a paper is check what journal it came in to see if it's worth reading. Any disruption would have to come from within academia, and it is coming because libraries simply cannot afford subscription packages any longer, especially packages from commercial publishers. Journals from scientific societies are less outrageously priced, although they are still bad.