Re: j' insiste

["Peter Banks" <pbanks@diabetes.org>]

Richard Feinman wrote:

>"Look, this is a unique moment.  Peter Banks and I agree on 
>something: "more access to scientific information..." is a 
>"...perfectly reasonable drive."  Part of his argument that this 
>does not require open access is that 4 major diabetes journals 
>successfully provide a high degree of access.  Peter has said 
>this before but I have never been able to figure out whether 
>this is an argument against or for OA."

I didn't think I was making a very subtle point. I believe in and 
am committed to freer access to scientific and medical 
information. I do not believe that the way to get that is "faith 
based" publishing--that is, casting aside the need for a 
responsible business plan and putting your trust in God, or 
perhaps the NIH, to save you. Show me a business plan that 
provides a diversified and stable base of revenue to fund quality 
journal operations long-term, and I'm there. However, I don't 
know of any major OA publisher that has such a plan. The 
researchers I work with know that, too, which explains much of 
the disinterest in the OA movement.

Peter Banks
Publisher
American Diabetes Association
Email: pbanks@diabetes.org