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Andrew, Andrew --
The work I do as managing editor of a small science journal, and that of my staff, is only one cost of the journal. There's the cost of printing, of composition, of paper, of the web site, etc. etc. If readers can get this material for "free" all that means is someone else must pay. Who? Pretty soon, all science will be done with those with grants and deep pockets and poor scientists, smaller labs, etc. need not apply. Or all science will driven by profit.
Look, sweetie, there's a huge government subsisdy on sugar but we all still have to pay for at the grocery store.
Or try this: National Parks are a good thing. But you still pay to enter them, despite your taxes.
EVERYTHING costs money. Readers of science journals need to contribute -- and we need to be able to enforce that. Until some one comes up with a workable solution.
I've been studying and learning about this issue for several years now. You have done no work at all, just a "sounds snappy" sort of come back. This is a big big issue, this is a major change and a lot of us are just hoping to be able to keep making a living at something we thought was helping the world -- the dissemination of knowledge.
Rachel Russell
Managing Editor
American Mineralogist
