Scientific publishers are not very popular today. Everybody on the web is now talking about how wrong is the current system, how journals cost way too much, the increasing number of scientific journals, the decreasing quality of publications.
One interesting contribution that I read recently is by Tim Gowers on his blog: How might we get to a new model of mathematical publishing? It think his ideas are quite interesting, although futuristic. Maybe we could get there step by step, but I have to admit that I would like very much to see a system like the one described in his post in the not-so-distant future.
One note: everybody is talking about the need to change the current system, but it looks like the scientific community is not taking any action. Except Princeton! Have a look at their policy about Open Access…
I think that, polithically, this may be the right way to go: large academic institutions putting pressure on the publishing system. Will it work?
(Hat tip: .mau.)
