On Thu, 30 Sep 2004, Andy Powell wrote:
> On Thu, 30 Sep 2004, Stevan Harnad wrote:
>
> > (Note that the Springer statement is a bit vaguer, but of course Springer
> > authors too should update their preprints to incorporate the changes made
> > during the peer review and editing process.)
>
> Are you sure about this last bit? The Springer Copyright Policy goes
> on to say (under 'author retained rights')
Yes, I'm sure. The passages below refer to proofs. Proofs and PDFs are
of no interest to research, researchers or OA. OA is about content, not
form. The author owns the content of his article. The substantive
corrections can be made in his own version of the text (be it in
HTML, XML, Word, TeX, or whatever other word-processor the author uses).
> Pre-press: the right to retain a pre-press version of the article on a
> public electronic server such as the World Wide Web. Springer does not
> require that authors remove versions of their article that differ from the
> version as published by Springer from publicly accessible servers,
> however, Springer asks that a link be made to the final published article
> and that the following statement accompany that link: The original
> publication is available at http://www.springerlink.com/to be posted with
> the pre-press article. Please use the appropriate URL and/or DOI for the
> article.
>
> Uncorrected proofs: the right to post the uncorrected proofs of the
> article on a public electronic server such as the World Wide Web or the
> author's homepage. These proofs will be sent to you after acceptance by
> the journal. Springer does not require that authors remove versions of
> their paper that differ from the version as published by Springer from
> publicly accessible servers, but Springer asks for a link to the final
> article to be posted with proofs.
>
> Final article on a secure network: the right to post the final article on
> a secure network (not accessible to the public) within the employer's
> institute. Unfortunately, for logistical reasons it is not currently
> Springer's policy to provide PDF files. If this poses a particular problem
> for you or if you have a specific requirement, please contact our Special
> Licensing Department.
>
> Final article on a public server: posting of the final published article
> on a non-commercial public server is allowed when using protected PDFs
> that are available at a surcharge through Springers PDF-offprint program.
> --- cut ---
>
> which seems to me to quite clearly state that you can only make the final
> (i.e. corrected, post-press) version available on a secure network and/or
> after having paid the surcharge?
This refers to the publisher's corrected proofs which, as noted, are not
essential for OA, just as the publisher's PDF is not essential.
OA self-archiving is a *supplement* to paid access to the publisher's
version. It is for those would-be users whose institutions cannot afford
the publisher's version. Those would-be users are infinitely better off
with the author's own self-archived version, with the author's
corrections, than with no access at all. They do not need proofs
(uncorrected or corrected), or PDF. They need the content of the
article.
Stevan Harnad
Received on Thu Sep 30 2004 - 22:39:07 BST