For some time I have been working on a basic model of scientific progress (or, since “progress” is a value-loaded term, a model of how science progresses). It has implications for certain issues related to scientific publication, so I thought […]
Society publishing is surrounded by rivalrous groups, which tend to undermine the societies’ activities. It’s time to renew the development of membership through exclusive products.
A fluidic computer designed to model a national economy holds lessons for doing things directly and physically. Sometimes, you have to get your hands wet.
This month, with vacations on the docket, it seemed a good time to ask a question bound to get the mind thinking of faraway or unfamiliar places. And since scholarly publishing is a worldwide endeavor — all the more so […]
An essay on the Beatles and their business model, which emphasized paid content, now called “toll-access” content. The question is how the Beatles would have been different if they had worked in an era where content was expected to be free.
How have publishers changed over the past decade? What have been the most important advances? The Chefs tackle the question, with some surprising answers (they might have even surprised themselves).
Science begins from a simple premise, then gets really complicated. It’s good to return to the basics, courtesy of this brief primer from the legendary Richard Feynman.
I couldn’t agree more. The images are beautiful, as you absorb what’s being contemplated. Happy Friday.
This fascinating TED talk will resonate on many levels with people who read this blog — study design, arrogance, vindication, creativity, inspiration, complexity, evolution, and authority are all dealt with. The topic is “the God complex” — the tendency for […]
A new book on the economics shaping science is a treasure trove of facts arranged sensibly and put wonderfully into context. In addition, it’s an example of how to design a print book.
A sibling of the “information wants to be free” movement advocates freeing the calendar in the progressive town of Santa Cruz, CA.
Did the Encyclopedia Britannica stop printing because of the limitations of print? Or is there something more pernicious at the roots of Britannica’s problems?
E-readers seem to slow information accession and fog retention. Should we worry as the era of “big paper” begins its final stages?
A now-famous poster was printed in large quantities but almost lost to history. Here’s what happened.
A recent study of preservation practices for digital materials raises fundamental questions that aren’t so easy to answer.