Re: Scientific American (Mcmillian title)

[dgoodman@Princeton.EDU (David Goodman (dgoodman@Princeton.EDU))]

It is not obvious what the criteria are for good value in cases like this.
among other factors, there are:

1. Scientific American is exactly the sort of journal whose availability
without the ilustrations isnt of much use

2. It is a journal with very heavy undergraduate use, and it is difficult
to maintain an intact file. Even if pages aren't deliberately removed, the
heavy photcopying causes them to come loose. The price includes acess back
to 1993, not just a current subscription.

3. Lots of people do have private suscriptions to sci amer., not
necessarily at their labs. I just renewed mine. I like to read it, and to
read it in print. When someone needs an article, its good for them to be
able to get it from an online file.

4. What we don't have at the library, and need, are adequate color
printers. 

5. I consider the likelihood of sucessfull barginning with this publisher
about price not very great.  At least it's apparently the full journal.  
Whether one would wish to buy ANYTHING from this publisher, until it
adopts a more responsible attitude about some of its more important
publications, is also an interesting question.

David Goodman
Princeton University