Re:French ISPs Ordered to Block Sci-Hub and LibGen
by AGWeir on Tuesday April 02, 2019 @09:37AM
(#19553892)
In the UK all research councils and the National Institute for Health Research awards carry restrictions that everything is made open access. It is a step in the right direction but it also means that more government funding is just going to journals via paying article processing charges
Re:French ISPs Ordered to Block Sci-Hub and LibGen
by codedokode on Tuesday April 02, 2019 @07:18AM
(#19552876)
But today, even with alternatives present, scientists still give away or sell their rights to the journals.
The scientists are often paid be the government. So it is the government that creates this situation and makes "high impact" journals what they are. It is the government that doesn't mandate free access to the knowledge.
Re:French ISPs Ordered to Block Sci-Hub and LibGen
by pfortuny on Tuesday April 02, 2019 @08:19AM
(#19553229)
The thing is: as long as you do not have tenure, you simply CANNOT fight. At least in a meaningful way.
My case, by the way.
Re:French ISPs Ordered to Block Sci-Hub and LibGen
by jimktrains2 on Tuesday April 02, 2019 @07:34AM
(#19552965)
Yes, I covered that in my response. Alternatives exist, but can't be used in circumstances where your career may be on the line.
I agree, however, that receiving government funding should require open access publishing.
Yesterday there weren't any, let alone good, alternatives. Even today with good alternatives, the way publishing in "high impact" journals is tied to pay can make the issue not really have other options.
Free access to knowledge is fairly foundational to science and something that's has been talked about for a while. This isn't a new problem. It comes as a surprise to no one.
This is doubly true given the amount of government money spent on this research that is then being kept from the public.