Gold Fever: Read and Weep

From: Stevan Harnad <amsciforum_at_GMAIL.COM>
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:27:06 -0400

** Apologies for cross-posting **
Those who still harbor any doubt that the mixing of talk about Gold
OA publishing or funding with plans for Green OA self-archiving
mandates causes anything but confusion, distraction, delay and
failure to make progress toward universal OA: Please readPeter
Suber's comments on this this latest fiasco at the University of
Maryland -- and weep.

And then please trust some sound advice from a weary and wizened but
world-wise archivangelist:
      Disentangle completely all talk and policy concerning the
      requirement to self-archive refereed journal articles
      (the Green OA mandate) from any advice concerning whether
      or not to publish in Gold OA journals, and from any plans
      to help authors pay for Gold OA journal publishing
      charges, should they elect to publish in a fee-based Gold
      OA journal.

Otherwise this mindless and thoughtless Gold Fever will just usher in
yet another half-decade of failure to reach for what is already fully
within the global research community's grasp: universal Green OA
through universal Green OA self-archiving mandates adopted by
universities and research funders worldwide.

Stevan Harnad
American Scientist Open Access Forum
Received on Fri Apr 24 2009 - 18:38:43 BST