copyrighted descriptions

[Stuart G. Poss]

While I certainly share Julian's concerns and these should not be taken
lightly, any attempt by publishers to demand payment for the use of
scientific names in faunal/floral lists/databases or the like, would
likely precipite a dramatic reappraisal of why scientists should any
longer rely on publishers to disseminate scientific information.

I think that for economic reasons, publishers would be the last who
should want to push their customers too far, when virtually free
dissemination and online peer review are realistic options provided by
the Internet that many might likely view as a ready alternative.
Perhaps scientists need to consider a little preemptive action to get
the attention of those who would attempt to restrict the free exchange
of scientific information for personal gain.  The concept of online
publication and peer review is alive and well in Physics.  Might it not
work in Taxonomy and Systematics?

Are our scientific societies and journals really giving away the store?

Perhaps, I'm underestimating the ability of IP lawyers, and should start
advocating the use of numbers to refer to species.  Presumably, most
numbers satisfy the 50 year rule.

BTW, is the number 37576080.3490980734 preoccupied?

Julian Humphries wrote:
>
>
> Several important notes.  Today most scientific publications
> are copyrighted by societies or publishers, not authors.  I
> would be very surprised if any copyright inquiry, to say,
> Academic Press, wasn't routinely returned with a form
> requiring payment.
...
> Third, the whole ballgame is about to change.  Intellectual
> property protection is a very active area of national and
> international law.  The biggest pushers of very restrictive
> copyright/database/IP protection are, not surprisingly,
> publishers.   AAAS, CODATA, and others are out there on
> the battleground as we speak trying to head off what  might
> amount to a deadly threat to our traditional exchange of
> scientific information (and names).  The just passed
> "Digital Millennium Copyright Act"
...

--
_____________________________________________________________________
Stuart G. Poss                       E-mail: sgposs at seahorse.ims.usm.edu
Senior Research Scientist & Curator  Tel: (228)872-4238
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory       FAX: (228)872-4204
P.O. Box 7000
Ocean Springs, MS  39566-7000