Wikipedia’s Plateau: A Sign of Elitism, Maturity, or Both?
The plateau of entries in Wikipedia has people scratching their heads. Are the editors becoming elitists? Is quality beating quantity? Or is it a little of both?
Free Digital Textbooks Win in California
An initiative to see if free K-12 textbooks in math and science could exist, California tested the waters. The results have been released. They’re surprising, and may portend changes for educational publishers.
Interview with Jason Roberts from the ISMTE Annual Conference
An audio interview with Jason Roberts, founder of the ISMTE, recorded after a keynote in Baltimore Tuesday.
Will Feudalism Fade from Knowledge Exchange?
Feudalism was a necessary step in social organization, but is it the end-state for academic organization? A number of related events this past weekend make me think not.
Research4Life’s Dubious Claims and Missing Report
Free scientific journal access programs claims to boost article output in developing countries. A deeper analysis of the data shows otherwise.
Horns of a Dilemma: Open Access or Academic Freedom
Librarians must choose between fiscal irresponsibility and a conflict with academic freedom when establishing open access publication funds.
The “Article of the Future” — Just Lipstick Again?
Elsevier’s “Article of the Future” prototypes appear, and only spotlight the underlying conceptual problems for a traditional, article-centric publisher.
Sci Foo Camp – Day 3
Sci Foo Camp 2009 — Day 3. Journals of the future, video games, rocketships to Mars. It’s all in a day’s work.
Positioned to Fail the Future
If publishers of all types don’t invest in the next thing, they’re the only ones who will suffer. But the barriers are high, and new competitors may be better positioned to fulfill the future.
Sci Foo Camp – Day 2
Day 2 of Sci Foo Camp was full of interesting topics and discussions, including artificial intelligence, citizen science, and the future of scholarly publishing.
Sci Foo Camp – Day 1
Sci Foo Camp 2009 kicked off last night with opening remarks by Tim O’Reilly (of O’Reilly Media), Timo Hannay (of Nature Publishing Group), and Larry Page (of Google).
Amazon’s Fifth Stage
Amazon’s options and pattern of doing business suggests the STM publishers had better prepare for a dramatically more digital future.
Playing Two Ends Against the Middle
Anderson says Free is the “future radical price.” Gladwell says free may not be the future. Godin simply says “Malcolm is wrong.” Why are all the arguments so polarized?
The Freelance Fireworks Hall of Fame
The founders of the Freelance Fireworks Hall of Fame wish us all a Happy Fourth of July.
Will Form Follow Function?
Will e-book readers lead to a new form of expression? Should they even bother trying to mimic the paper and ink format they’re replacing?