Re: For Whom the Gate Tolls?

From: Barry Mahon <barry.mahon_at_IOL.IE>
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 14:54:43 -0000

28/10/2003 12:30:36, Stevan Harnad <harnad_at_ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:

>On Tue, 28 Oct 2003, Allen Kleiman wrote:
>
>> Apple computer has launched its iTunes product which, in my opinion, will
>> eliminate the cd industry and all who depend on it for a profitable
>> business. Furthermore, they have an audio books component that could do the
>> same thing to booksellers. This Steve Jobs is some kind of genius and this
>> issue has implications for open access.
>
>In brief:
>
>Consumer-theft technology has no connection with or implications
>for open access to the refereed research literature, which is an
>author give-away. It would be better for both causes to keep them
>as separate as possible.

On the contrary I feel Allen has a point, which OA could maybe benefit
from. If I understand the iTunes concept it enables one to pick (and pay
for) the mix you want, like a sweet (candy) counter, not have to buy a
compilation decided by a CD producer (a music house, sort of equivalent
to a publisher?). OA users might want the same facility.

Barry Mahon
Received on Tue Oct 28 2003 - 14:54:43 GMT