[Next-Generation Sequencing Book]
  • [Photo] J.W. Bizzaro • June 16, 2001
    ``It should be a truism that the scientific literature exists to disseminate scientific knowledge, and that scientific journals exist to facilitate the process. It therefore follows that rules for use of the scientific literature should be designed to help achieve that goal.

    ``The rules we have now, known as copyright, were established in the age of the printing press, an inherently centralized method of mass-production copying. In a print environment, copyright on journal articles restricted only journal publishers - requiring them to obtain permission to publish an article - and would-be plagiarists. It helped journals to operate and disseminate knowledge, without interfering with the useful work of scientists or students, either as writers or readers of articles. These rules fit that system well.

    ``The modern technology for scientific publishing, however, is the World Wide Web. What rules would best ensure the maximum dissemination of scientific articles, and knowledge, on the Web? Articles should be distributed in non-proprietary formats, with open access for all. And everyone should have the right to `mirror' articles; that is, to republish them verbatim with proper attribution.''

    Full story at Nature.com:
    http://www.nature.com/nature/debates/e-access/Articles/stallman.html

    This is part of Nature's forum on open-access publications.

    Reference by Slashdot.org.

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