Old and Busted: Facebook for Scientists — The New Hotness? eBay for Scientists
Hitting the wallet, watch, and workload makes more sense, but Science Exchange still has some details to iron out.
Meeting Reader Needs: The Increasingly Difficult Search for Grassroots Among the Astroturf
Hype and marketing angles aren’t adequate ways to truly help real people succeed in the information age.
Is Piracy Really the F**king Answer?
A viral book sensation’s obvious story may not be as obvious as some think, harder to replicate, and indicative of a strong counter-trend.
Not With A Bang: The First Wave of Science 2.0 Slowly Whimpers to an End
Major social media plays in science hit the rocks, as hype hits reality and the culture of science.
Gaming the System: Do Promises of Citation Advantage Go Too Far?
Promises of more citations if authors pay are problematic in more ways than one.
The Google Books Settlement: Where Things Stand, and Some Suggestions for What's Next
The Google Books Settlement actually hit its second roadblock this week. Here’s why, and where matter might go from here.
Researchers And Social Media: Uptake Increases When Obvious Benefits Result
A study of social media adoption hides some sensible lessons within a jumble of other signals.
How Meaningful and Reliable Are Social Article Metrics?
New publishing initiatives link concepts like “importance” to social metrics like popularity and sharing. Is this logical? Can these metrics be easily gamed?
David's Pick for 2010: Peer Review May Be Old and Imperfect, But It Still Works
After wondering at the supposed burden of peer-review, more evidence emerged that it still works well, and is probably less taxing than other alternatives.
The Future Is Not a Zero-Sum Game
The false premise of replacement means the future isn’t destructive, just additive.
The Nature Network Implosion — Hmmm, This All Seems Awfully Familiar . . .
Another science blogging network implodes, a sign that the age of exuberance is giving way to the business realities.
Disruption, Aggregation, and Third Parties
Is our future defined by third-party aggregators? Or is there a business opportunity there worth fighting for?
The Upside of Paywalls Revisited — Now With Actual Data
Despite hand-wringing about the Times UK’s paywall, the numbers show that revenues may have justified the move.
Ouroboros and Peer Review: New Proposals Continue to Chase Their Own Tails
Can social reputation metrics provide a meaningful incentive for researcher participation in peer-review and online commentary?
When Solutions Take On a Life of Their Own
What happens when a proposed solution for a problem becomes an end unto itself? Is peer review really more important than research itself?