Let the Adaptations Begin!
The infrastructure for change is in place and largely working. What might that mean for publishing and academic cultures? (The first of a four-part series.)
The “Burden” of Peer Review
Do the benefits of peer review outweigh the work involved? How does post-publication review stack up in comparison?
Is Amazon Still Man’s Best Friend?
Peter Brantley has written an insightful piece on some of the implications of Amazon’s much-vaunted high royalty payments to authors who publish directly with them (that is, with Amazon).
Taxes Clash with Free Speech in the Philadelphia Blogosphere
Philadelphia extends local small business fees to bloggers making money, arguing they are just like anyone else trying to make money in the city. But given the free speech element, they aren’t “just like anyone else.”
Today’s UK Researchers: E-journals Dominate, Access Not an Issue, Skimming Increasing
A set of findings confirm rather than surprise, but apparently some publishers are still behaving as if they’ll be surprised.
Rectifying Asymmetries — Experts Are Battered From All Sides, But Are We Any Smarter?
Is the Web making experts more susceptible to challenge? Is this a good thing for society as a whole? Or is it creating a confusion demagogues can exploit?
Teaching the End of Print — Using Books Poised on the Edge of Oblivion
A teacher publishes a syllabus contemplating a print era bounded by two inventions — the printing press and the networked screen. It’s part of a sweep of interesting observations.
Good God! Can’t a Journal Author Have Any Fun Anymore?
An article’s authors and a journal’s editor are surprised when a puff-piece backfires. Thanks for the pretentious seriousness, blogosphere.
It’s the End of the Book As We Know It — and I Feel Fine
As bookstores and books in general meet the fate of physical media everywhere, maybe we should celebrate.
Letting The Inmates Run the Asylum: Are Blogging Networks Compatible with Publishing Business Plans?
Open blogging networks may be impossible to commercialize, for a host of reasons.
Left-handed Cancer, Box Springs, Scientific American, Branding, and Credibility
When brands, credibility, and trust all stumble, what is an increasingly weary public supposed to think?
“Cognitive Surplus” — Look What Can Happen When We Turn Off the Television
Clay Shirky’s new book is smart, snappy, and insightful. You should read it if you want to understand why people are adding social media to their lives.
Is Print an Elite Medium? Or a Medium for Elitists?
College journalists are more motivated about getting into print, editors are missing huge opportunities, and Harry Potter’s owners are in no hurry to go digital. What gives?
Conan Doyle Creates Holmes for Science, Then Descends Into Pseudoscience
The creator of the detective of the scientific age seems to have abandoned science as he aged.
E-book Sales Beat Hardcover Sales at Amazon: Tipping Point or Fluke?
Amazon’s Kindle and e-book sales take off, and the overall trend is for a huge shake-up in the retail book space.