electronic publication - reply

[Gary Noonan]

        What we probably are going toward is a hybrid publication system, at
least for monographs. The cost of books is such that many scholars can't
afford them, and authors can't afford to purchase reprints. An interim
solution is to publish monographs conventionally in books, distribute enough
copies to satisfy the code and then distribute CD-ROMS with the monographs.
The cost of having a CD-ROM disk prepared is under $2.00, including cost of
disk, label, jewel box and having a commercial company put your monograph
onto the CD-ROM. Software is available to allow production of CD-ROM files
that can be printed on a laser printer with exact pagination of the printed
monograph. Electronic publications such as CD-ROM can also contain numerous
other items such as research specimen databases. The CD-ROM can also contain
a popular type version of the monograph adapted for use by people interested
in nature in general. Interactive keys with abundant illustrations,
including color photographs, can be included. Photographs of habitats can
also be included. Hopefully in time the codes will be changed to recognize
CD-ROM as a publication validating a name or name change. Printed monographs
are no longer affordable for most people and offer much less than can
CD-ROMS. CD-ROM publication could satisfy the current concern that
electronic publications can change from day to day. A CD-ROM is not
changeable, unlike publications put onto Internet or floppy disks.

>The way around the use of a new name before it is published it NOT to use
>the name.  If you are going to hand out an item (your diskettes) that
>contain the essences of your new taxa, then use something like "New Genus
>#1, New Genus #2,...New Species #1, New Species #2..." and so on.  This
>way, you avoid the problem of your new names getting into the literature
>BEFORE they are validly published.
>
>A few years from now, your new taxa names will be found by others in
>articles that precde your valid publication date.  It will create
>problems indeed.
>
>I recognize that for certain groups there is pressure to provide a name
>for public, medical or other use before the name is validly published.
>Your other option is to publish a very short paper with ONLY the
>particular name(s) and description (enough to effect publication) in them to
>accommodate the needful users.  There are several journals that will gladly
>assist you this way when you explain the need.  Oftentimes it can be done
>in a month or two this way.  But, I emphasize that there has to be a
>genuine need for the names.
>
>Robin Leech
>Associate Editor
>The Canadian Entomologist
>
>


  *************************************************************
  * Gary Noonan, Curator of Insects, Milwaukee Public Museum  *
  * 800 W. Wells,  Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233 USA             *
  * and Adjunct Associate Professor of Zoology, University of *
  * Wisconsin-Milwaukee carabid at alpha1.csd.uwm.edu            *
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