one vs. many journals (Re: Response from NATURE)

[Doug Yanega]

Mary Barkworth wrote:

>I, for instance, would be interested in an
>automatic notification when new grass taxa are described, with
>information on where they have been described. I am not wanting to have
>the description published centrally, nor even require that the
>legitimacy and validity of the name be checked prior to notification
>being sent out.

I recognize that this seems to be an example of the majority opinion,
so at least let me take this opportunity to ask:

What do you see as the overwhelming advantage to having taxonomic
publications scattered throughout several hundred journals that leads
you to prefer this over  having everything published in one central,
universally-accessible place?

As a corollary, since you feel it would be good if you were notified
about all grass taxonomy papers after they were published, wouldn't
you feel *better* if you (and every other grass taxonomist in the
world, for that matter) got to see every single such paper *before*
it was published, and all had the chance to make comments?

Basically, I'd like to know why so many people still look only to
take half-measures when we can do better?

Sincerely,
--

Doug Yanega        Dept. of Entomology         Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California - Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
phone: (909) 787-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
            http://entmuseum9.ucr.edu/staff/yanega.html
   "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
         is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82