Thousands of scientific papers uploaded to The Pirate Bay

... Scientific publications are some of the most outrageously expensive pieces of literature you can buy. In the past, the high access fees supported the costly mechanical reproduction of niche paper journals, but online distribution has mostly made this function obsolete.

Another reason they are so expensive might be that the reprints are almost always expenses against research grants, so there is little in the way of "market forces" working to keep the price commensurate with the true value.

Re: Thousands of scientific papers uploaded to The Pirate Bay

#6

Post by repos » Thu, Jul 21, 2011, 4:34 PM UTC

Scientific publications/journals are highly ineffective, but what is the alternative? The current system is so entrenched in the politics of science - you need publications in respectable journals to advance your career or to get grants.

It's going to be very difficult to break.

Re: Thousands of scientific papers uploaded to The Pirate Bay

#7

Post by Produce » Thu, Jul 21, 2011, 4:38 PM UTC

repos wrote: post #6

Scientific publications/journals are highly ineffective, but what is the alternative? The current system is so entrenched in the politics of science - you need publications in respectable journals to advance your career or to get grants. It's going to be very difficult to break.

I've got an idea about this in the concept phase. Think OSS meets science.

Re: Thousands of scientific papers uploaded to The Pirate Bay

#8

Post by nightski » Thu, Jul 21, 2011, 4:43 PM UTC

Produce wrote: post #7

repos wrote: post #6

Scientific publications/journals are highly ineffective, but what is the alternative? The current system is so entrenched in the politics of science - you need publications in respectable journals to advance your career or to get grants. It's going to be very difficult to break.

I've got an idea about this in the concept phase. Think OSS meets science.

Don't think this will work out as well. Not only can you get paid to do OSS, but we (programmers) also have the option of obtaining very high paying jobs while working on OSS projects on the side. Not only this, but lots of research requires quite a bit more expensive equipment than writing software. I mean I would love to see something like this work but I have my doubts :)

Re: Thousands of scientific papers uploaded to The Pirate Bay

#9

Post by repos » Thu, Jul 21, 2011, 4:46 PM UTC

Produce wrote: post #7

repos wrote: post #6

Scientific publications/journals are highly ineffective, but what is the alternative? The current system is so entrenched in the politics of science - you need publications in respectable journals to advance your career or to get grants. It's going to be very difficult to break.

I've got an idea about this in the concept phase. Think OSS meets science.

Is software the issue? I think the problem is that the only way to get your science out to other scientists is through journals. Yeah journals filter the good research from the bad, but there has to be a better way. The review process itself isn't even great.

A better system would also allow for the release of negative data.

Re: Thousands of scientific papers uploaded to The Pirate Bay

#10

Post by Maro » Thu, Jul 21, 2011, 4:57 PM UTC

It's interesting to note that the person who created this torrent, Greg Maxwell, is not trying to remain anonymous, he put his name and email into the torrent description.