Who Will Pay For Open Access?

babble123 writes "IEEE is thinking about providing everyone with free access to its publication database (which has saved many a grad student from a trip to the library). The problem is, where will they get the money to fund the journals if not from subscriptions? In this article, they discuss one proposed alternative, 'author-pays,' but they certainly aren't enthusiastic about it, and I don't blame them. And yet, the money has to come from somewhere. Any better ideas?"

Simple...

[goodEvans]

Advertising and product placement.

"This cable specification brought to you by Belkin, the choice of the home user"

"Required test equipment: Craftsman digital multimeter model no..."

"Why not take a break from reading this specification and enjoy a cool frappacino - there's probably a Starbucks within 100 yards anyway"

Easy!

[nmb3000]

With popups and banner ads! The Internet was raised on these mediums so they must still work. Also, with all those words, think how good AdSense would work!

Toss in a couple "CLICK_YES_TO_USE_THIS_SITE_FOR_FREE_AND_GET_FREE_ WEATHER_ON_YOUR_COMPUTER_WHILE_NAKED_STRIPPERS_DAN CE_ON_YOUR_DESKTOP!" prompts and they would be rolling in the dough!

Re:Emergent Solution

[Guanix]

How about relying on Google and archive.org?

Re:Government ?

[node 3]

The question would be how to choose what to pay for. The current system has the advantage that only journals which at least someone (even if it is some insane clique of social scientists) reads get money.

That's not really much of a problem. First, the President should have a "Department of Science" cabinet, where it's made explicitly clear that science from that department will be clear of political influences, then you have that department choose to fund access to journals deemed worthy by a board of prominent scientists. In essence, you have the scientists choosing which publications to support, which interestingly is exactly the advantage you list for the current system.

So now the journal is chosen by reason, is less subject to capricious market forces, and you have public access. This really seems win-win-win.

The choice of which journals to support is opinion, which frightens many because it requires a certain level of trust, but I'd much more trust publicly accountable people in an open process over the so-called free market when it comes to promoting science.

Isn't this time for.....

[Anonymous Coward]

1. Run a magazine...
2. Provide all content for free on the internet...
3. ???
4. Profit!!!!1