Re: Gowers petition against Elsevier

[David Yetter <dyetter@math.ksu.edu>]

Eventually generalizing the boycott to Springer might be necessary, but 
tactically I think it would be a mistake at this point.  

I am reminded of a story from the days of the "Old West" here in Kansas in which
the new Marshall (I think it was Wyatt Earp) set about bringing order to the
town (I think it was Abilene) by obliging the Texas cowboys who had driven
their cattle north to check their guns before entering a saloon.  When the
sneered and declined, he picked the biggest, meanest, surliest of the 
Texans, laid him out with one punch, and repeated his request.  The other
cowboys complied.

The scientific community needs to do the same -- bringing down, or forcing
reform at, the most egregiously abusive of publishers will oblige the others
to fix the problems, too.  And, just like a punch to the jaw delivered to one
cowboy was more feasible than fighting the lot of them, it is more feasible:
young folk worried about "impact factors" because they don't yet have a
job are left with more publication venues from which to chose while
avoiding Elsevier.

Best Thoughts,
D. Yetter


On 28 Jan 2012, at 13:56, Michael Barr wrote:

> I would like to generalize this to include Springer and Bertelsmann
> (which, I think, includes Springer now).  I haven't had any dealings with
> any of them since about 1995.  They are evil and the sooner we get rid of
> them the better.  About a month ago, I asked Springer about permission to
> reprint something from about 1980 if I recall properly.  Not even the
> courtesy of a refusal.  We are doing out bit with TAC, but why can't the
> mathematical community as a whole see the damage that is being done to our
> profession?
> 
> Michael
> 

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