tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post1527885555981528007..comments2024-03-27T13:09:13.855+05:30Comments on Life in IISc: Open accessGiri@iischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819278945207995261noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-18865502190244513572012-05-16T14:33:12.966+05:302012-05-16T14:33:12.966+05:30I appreciate the spirit behind the protest. Academ...I appreciate the spirit behind the protest. Academics is not the place for arm-twisters. The publishing houses' arrogance should be checked and the voice should grow louder across the scientific community.Kramnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-11021657040587129702012-05-11T16:35:07.440+05:302012-05-11T16:35:07.440+05:30can any please share interview experience in IISER...can any please share interview experience in IISER for physics faculty<br /><br />ThanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-52659573748117556822012-05-11T12:20:30.451+05:302012-05-11T12:20:30.451+05:30One can always check how many good journals (say, ...One can always check how many good journals (say, impact factor above 2) are published by Springer (especially, in his/her area). As far as Solid Mechanics/Structure area is concerned, in my opinion, there are very few and can be ignored completely.Abirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00921524861443651816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-30525282887135605852012-05-10T22:17:38.410+05:302012-05-10T22:17:38.410+05:30@Ankur
Correct. The Indian journals/conferences (...@Ankur<br /><br />Correct. The Indian journals/conferences (open-access or not) should improve the quality of the accepted papers, make it relevant to the international community, and then expect good researchers to submit their articles there. I know that one CSE conference in India (FSTTCS) is trusted by the international community, and therefore good researchers submit articles there. More importantly, the researchers across the world read the articles published here, which is one of the most important factor to decide the publication venue.saswatahttp://www.iitg.ernet.in/saswata.sh/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-18789226458031686472012-05-10T22:09:26.704+05:302012-05-10T22:09:26.704+05:30I guess as an academic one should publish in a pla...I guess as an academic one should publish in a place that will give the work maximum visibility. So if the work is not nation-specific, it makes sense to publish in international journals. If the work of relevance only to domestic academics, then it may make sense to publish in a journal that has only national readership,Ankur Kulkarnihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16411971742511540520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-27620015602953910472012-05-10T07:00:03.012+05:302012-05-10T07:00:03.012+05:30It is taboo for people in IISc to publish in India...It is taboo for people in IISc to publish in Indian Journals. Maybe we must rename IISc to International Institute of Science ;PAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-74247535928802069602012-05-09T10:47:36.057+05:302012-05-09T10:47:36.057+05:30There used to be a time when mathematicians outsid...There used to be a time when mathematicians outside india wanted to publish their work in the Proceedingd of Banaras Mathematical Society (Ganitha journal). If I remember , Prof.C.N.R.Rao, mentioned that he published his first paper in Agra University journal. Time has come for indian journals to resurgeKRKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15421220135843656471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-46062491990513872062012-05-06T16:54:43.821+05:302012-05-06T16:54:43.821+05:30Dear Dr. Kshema Prakash:
Thanks for your comment ...Dear Dr. Kshema Prakash:<br /><br />Thanks for your comment and I appreciate it. Young librarians such as yourself in premier institutions should discuss and be against this packaging and bundling of journals. One should buy what one really needs. For the new IITs, there is no need to go for bundles and one can buy individual journals till the faculty strength grows to a considerable size.<br /><br />Best<br /><br />GiridharGiri@iischttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11819278945207995261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-17332897907689062122012-05-06T01:24:03.743+05:302012-05-06T01:24:03.743+05:30Meanwhile I'd like to point out an interesting...Meanwhile I'd like to point out an interesting question that has come up at Academia.stackexchange.com: <a href="http://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/1322/why-do-universities-have-to-splurge-on-journals" rel="nofollow">Why do universities have to splurge on journals?</a>Shyamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04479218885177543944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-28065706099767446892012-05-05T22:23:48.288+05:302012-05-05T22:23:48.288+05:30The cost of knowledge boycott was a very interesti...The cost of knowledge boycott was a very interesting read indeed. i see 'happy days' for science in the next 10 years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-11737145897503039812012-05-05T21:59:13.634+05:302012-05-05T21:59:13.634+05:30" Even now, they need people to format the ma..." Even now, they need people to format the manuscript, edit it further, host it etc. However, the cost of all these functions is a fraction of what they actually charge. Many of us submit pre-formatted manuscripts and the job of a publisher is only to maintain servers etc and employ a few people as executive editors."<br /><br />Sir, ideally things like review cost of publishing must be free of cost and in return the journals should also be very minimally priced. but unfortunately that is not the case. the journals are very heavily priced.<br />i can give you a specific case also. for ex if you want to attach pretty pictures(in colour) in your paper along with your results you have to pay huge amounts to the publisher. and of course journals cannot host videos.<br />in this day and age can't things like pictures, videos be viewed on academic archives?<br /><br />The present journal publishing model could have been called as fine some some 15 years ago but isn't fine anymore in the age of the internet and information boom.<br />i hope most of the academic publishing moves out of the journals and into open access archives/blogs, atleast in the next 20 years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-33580802196075775672012-05-05T21:57:58.597+05:302012-05-05T21:57:58.597+05:30This is very timely. May I also point out the Else...This is very timely. May I also point out the Elsevier boycott, which is a very worthy cause.<br /><br />http://thecostofknowledge.com/<br /><br />Please do sign up!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-75423442797222804912012-05-05T17:27:16.995+05:302012-05-05T17:27:16.995+05:30Sir, I appreciate your views and decision. I also ...Sir, I appreciate your views and decision. I also understand the conditions in which the older IITs/IISc went ahead with the bundled subscriptions that could not be curtailed at later stages and also fully appreciate your article in reference too. As you predicted in your article, the problem has surely aggravated as evident from the talks with Springer. As a library professional associated with one of the new IITs, I very much see the possibility of mindful spending for having a controlled situation so that we can sustain our actions in future. Thanks.Kshema Prakashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135162980254859690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-87116823771431635322012-05-05T14:07:49.672+05:302012-05-05T14:07:49.672+05:30Until we abandon "h-index", "impact...Until we abandon "h-index", "impact factor" and all that, in evaluating our faculty, this menace will not go away.gautam baruahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00395342178251076987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-26399291777408099702012-05-05T14:03:56.426+05:302012-05-05T14:03:56.426+05:30If you think many librarians buy subscriptions bec...If you think many librarians buy subscriptions because they are interested in keeping a collection, you are wrong. Many librarians are treated to five star hotels, trips abroad etc by the private publishers, which is why they keep on buying even trash from them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-54150524199769084912012-05-05T14:03:03.835+05:302012-05-05T14:03:03.835+05:30I receive review requests for around 150 papers an...I receive review requests for around 150 papers and I review only around 100 papers a year and I review only for journals in which I publish. Therefore, I will certainly not review for Springer journals.<br /><br />I am not against journals making money. Around 10 years back, they were collecting the papers into volumes and printing them. For this, they had to employ people. Naturally, they can charge us for that. Even now, they need people to format the manuscript, edit it further, host it etc. However, the cost of all these functions is a fraction of what they actually charge. Many of us submit pre-formatted manuscripts and the job of a publisher is only to maintain servers etc and employ a few people as executive editors. They can charge but not the charges have become too exorbitant.<br /><br />GiridharGiri@iischttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11819278945207995261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-29306308302272157532012-05-05T10:13:43.975+05:302012-05-05T10:13:43.975+05:301. Improving the quality of journals published in ...1. Improving the quality of journals published in India would ameliorate the problem.<br /><br />2. Why do librarians agree to buy highly priced journals? Why do research institutes buy desktop computers through DGS&D rate contract when tendering would get better specifications at lower rates? These are questions whose answers can only be guessed, but not publicly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-15930362551733246732012-05-05T02:38:21.362+05:302012-05-05T02:38:21.362+05:30Someone raised a valid point to me (in context of ...Someone raised a valid point to me (in context of journals in USA at least) - the research output from various groups (in USA) in various universities is possible due to the funding given by the various government agencies like DARPA, AFOSR, ONR, NSF, etc. These research output translate into journal papers. Cool. Now, where do these millions of dollars given to universities by these government agencies come from ? Simple. They come from tax payers' money. Tax-payers are the common people of the country. Thus, why should not the common people get free access to read the scientific results which have become possible with their money ?...I do not know the answer.Digbijoy Nathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00676969785957849229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-81144577352232339632012-05-05T02:28:32.041+05:302012-05-05T02:28:32.041+05:30Sorry. I made a mistake in my previous post. The s...Sorry. I made a mistake in my previous post. The service is not even awarded generally at free of cost, but rather at negative cost, i.e they charge you so that you can do services for them!!!<br /><br />It's the craziest and most ludicrous economical model in the world and even worst than a fascist economic model.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-51031775276961254252012-05-05T02:16:02.906+05:302012-05-05T02:16:02.906+05:30@Ankur Kulkarni
Good point. Why should these peop...@Ankur Kulkarni<br /><br />Good point. Why should these people enjoy free services?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-27882250300635176652012-05-04T18:41:37.157+05:302012-05-04T18:41:37.157+05:30Dear Prof Giri,
It is highly commendable that yo...Dear Prof Giri, <br /><br />It is highly commendable that you plan to boycott Springer by not publishing in their journals. May I also request that you also stop reviewing for them? Why should they avail of free services from you?Ankur Kulkarnihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16411971742511540520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-19178737983087435622012-05-04T12:04:28.943+05:302012-05-04T12:04:28.943+05:30It is heartening to note that Prof. Giri has uploa...It is heartening to note that Prof. Giri has uploaded nearly all his papers to the eprints site of IISc and they can be downloaded by anyone. Wish others also did the same.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-21642309197189245352012-05-04T05:06:37.703+05:302012-05-04T05:06:37.703+05:30" I think open-access is the way to go.
Upl..." I think open-access is the way to go. <br /><br />Uploading your preprints to arXiv and sharing them with your colleagues (or putting them on your webpage) is even better."<br /><br />Great words sir. This would indeed be a great step towards improving the way science works throughout the world. I hope this is the route that most scientists would want to follow.<br /><br />"is that it is not really that big of a deal in the US, but it is a huge deal for Indian universities."<br /><br />very true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-28058050361354353572012-05-04T04:47:22.968+05:302012-05-04T04:47:22.968+05:30Harvard's budget is more than $2 billion, so t...Harvard's budget is more than $2 billion, so the said expenses are an even tinier fraction of the total. Even tier 3 universities in the US have budgets > $400 M. The point I am trying to make, however, is that it is not really that big of a deal in the US, but it is a huge deal for Indian universities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061089355607754501.post-14205780324219451492012-05-04T03:44:54.141+05:302012-05-04T03:44:54.141+05:30To the first anon above:
As an electrochemist, I...To the first anon above: <br /><br />As an electrochemist, I can tell you that my society (ECS) charges very very little for their journals compared to what Elsevier charges for similar electrochemistry journals. I think open-access is the way to go. <br /><br />Uploading your preprints to arXiv and sharing them with your colleagues (or putting them on your webpage) is even better. Most mathematicians and to some extent physicists do this.<br /><br />Vijay.Vijay Sethuramanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10286315982942812431noreply@blogger.com