Re: Elsevier Web Editions license

[Lloyd Davidson <Ldavids@nwu.edu>]

At 03:04 01/28/2000 -0500, Ros Doig wrote:

 >And what about distance learners and others who want remote access?
 >Universities these days have registered students world wide - to restrict
 >electronic journals to use in particular locations just as if they were
 >print is complete nonsense.

Oh, that things could be so simple.  Distance learning issues are some of 
the most bothersome to publishers of any that have arisen.  The idea that 
one might, through a single subscription or local license, open up 
electronic access to potentially thousands of users around the world is 
raising more concern than almost any other aspect of potential copyright 
abuse.  Indeed, this one issue may be one of the major roadblocks to the 
spread of reasonably priced distance learning programs.

Lloyd

At 03:04 01/28/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>I don't entirely understand why publishers have such restrictive practices.
>
>I work at a multi-site university ( every campus offers different
>courses) and experience similar difficulties with regard to access for all
>our sites.  As well as the legalities, doesn't this also have technical
>implications?  We operate a single network for all our campuses regardless
>of location and currently cannot readily differentiate between which IP
>addresses are being used by what site. Our Computing Services tell me that
>eventually that they could set up this kind of identification but it isn't
>a priority at the moment.
>
>And what about distance learners and others who want remote access?
>Universities these days have registered students world wide - to restrict
>electronic journals to use in particular locations just as if they were
>print is complete nonsense. The whole point of the web is that is
>accessible to all from anywhere and universities are making use of this to
>provide courses but often it seems resource support is being severely
>limited.
>
>Students and staff can only be in one place at once whether that be in the
>library, laboratory, at home etc . It doesn't make sense to them that they
>may have to travel to another location to access something electronically
>when they have the technology on the desk they happen to be using at the
>time.
>
>Some publishers don't seem to know or appreciate how their electronic
>publications are being used.
>It's all very frustrating.
>
>Ros Doig
>Serials and Interlending Librarian
>University of Derby
>Kedleston Rd
>Derby DE22 1GB
>UK
>
>Tel.   +44 1332 591204
>Fax.   +44 1332 622767
>Email.  M.R.Doig@Derby.ac.uk