Have scientists finally got angry enough to rebel against publishers? « petermr's blog

"Richard Smith (http://blahah.net/about.html ) has posted a very brave piece about how to create a revolution to change the process of scholarly publishing. http://blahah.net/2014/02/11/knowledge-sets-us-free/. Before I start, I know Richard and when unembargoed will enthusiastically blog his ideas about a marketplace for software and scientists. I am also personally delighted that in the short time the OKF (I should say Keren Limor, of course) have been running Open Science discussions at the Panton Arms in Cambridge we have had massively important meetings. I missed Richard’s – but think it will be scene-changing – and I missed this one. I’ve copied Richard’s post in full and comment here… First. YES! Finally the moral unacceptability of TA-STM publishing has hit the modern world. The good news is that the technology is now so powerful that if we want to change it we can. It won’t be pretty and it won’t be predictable but it’s possible. I have blogged before on the role of civil disobedience. Breaking to formal law to promote a higher moral good. It’s been a critical force in many countries over millennia. It’s always risky and people may suffer. The important things are: * is there a compelling moral case? * is there a likelihood of making change happen. The second is optional. A moral case is good enough, but it can be very lonely. But if you can change the hearts and minds of enough people, then change can be rapid. So Second, I am with you. I want to disrupt the system. I’m currently doing it in a parallel and complementary way. It might be judged illegal and I am prepared to take that risk.It’s undoubtedly moral. Until you gave the lead I didn’t have any authority – it’s not for my generation to tell your what to do, but to support it when it does it. The key things are critical mass, simple coherent aims, and irresistible technology ..."