Joe's OA Clearinghouse

["Joseph J. Esposito" <espositoj@worldnet.att.net>]

Rick wrote:

"we'll be sure to see journals competing for authors in exactly that
arena. Imagine the sales pitches to authors: "Professors!  Why spend
$1,500 to publish in PLoS when you can publish at Joe's OA Clearinghouse
for $595? We guarantee full compliance with all major international OA
protocols! Act now - this offer is only good this semester!"

JE:  I know (or at least I hope) that the reference to "Joe's OA
Clearinghouse" is to Generic Joe, my half-brother, but as a Personal Joe
myself, I can't help but comment that even the hypothetical prices at the
OA Clearinghouse are much too high.  Something like $50 for three-years'
hosting is more like it.  Bits are free.  Think of flying on Easyjet or
the IT-accelerated speed of the check-out at Walgreen's--because that is
where OA is headed.  It is simply wrong to imagine that OA is going to
look like the wood-panelled world of proprietary journals publishing.  
And when our knees are rammed into our chins on a flight from Chicago to
Berlin, all advocates of OA should be thankful that God has answered our
prayers.

Joe Esposito