Those who take on the global industry that traps research behind paywalls are heroes, not thievesNever underestimate the power of one determined person. What Carole Cadwalladr has done to Facebook and big data, and Edward Snowden has done to the state security complex, Alexandra Elbakyan has done to the multibillion-dollar industry that traps knowledge behind paywalls. Sci-Hub, her pirate web scraper service, has done more than any government to tackle one of the biggest rip-offs of the modern era: the capture of publicly funded research that should belong to us all. Everyone should be free to learn; knowledge should be disseminated as widely as possible. No one would publicly disagree with these sentiments. Yet governments and universities have allowed the big academic publishers to deny these rights. Academic publishing might sound like an obscure and fusty affair, but it uses one of the most ruthless and profitable business models of any industry.The model was pioneered by the notorious conman Robert Maxwell. He realised that, because scientists need to be informed about all significant developments in their field, every journal that publishes academic papers can establish a monopoly and charge outrageous fees for the transmission of knowledge. He called his discovery “a perpetual financing machine”. He also realised that he could capture other people’s labour and resources for nothing. Governments funded the research published by his company, Pergamon, while... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2018-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The practice of digital journalism was both tested and proved yesterday as Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy bore down on the East Coast during an unforgettable night for millions of Americans. While digital media outlets have been dutifully covering the storm for days, several prominent New... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2012-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Epubli, the Holtzbrinck-owned German self-publishing platform, reflects on its methods and motivations for running a book prize suitable for the 21st century. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New York-based startup Tinypass, which helps small publishers and content creators charge for content online through existing platforms like Google, is rolling out metered content options to all of its clients. Tinypass, which signed up its first f ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kai John spent his life savings to buy the rights to Atlas Shrugged and have it retranslated into German. Here, he reflects on his decision and its reception. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For decades, large and small publishers alike have wrestled with one simple but crucial question about their books, on which success and failure often hang in the balance: How many copies should we print? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#digital printing
Today, Microsoft launched its newest PC and tablet operating system–Windows 8. The latest installment of Windows will feature app-based capabilities, and offer users the ability to purchase and download apps from the Windows Store. To coincide with the launch, Condé Nast, Bonnier and Northern... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2012-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When On Demand Books introduced its Espresso Book Machine to the U.S. book trade in 2008 by installing a beta model at Northshire Books in Manchester Center, Vt., the company promoted it as a tool for printing backlist titles and books in the public domain, as well as for authors who wanted to... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pearson, the owner of Penguin, and Bertelsmann, Random House's parent company, are currently in discussions to merge the two companies. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Self-published books make up 43 percent of the print titles released in 2011 and helped to drive the first growth in print production since 2007, according to a new study from Bowker. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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An attorney for Tom Cruise said he filed a US$50 million defamation lawsuit Wednesday against the publishers of Life & Style magazine for articles that said the actor has abandoned his 6-year-old daughter, Suri. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2012-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A rising middle class, looser regulations and ebook growth puts India ahead of China on many publishers agendas, says OUP's group strategist. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A group of writers are quids in following an experiment to sell a bundle of DRM-free ebooks. Sales of The Humble Bundle, which included works from authors Cory Doctorow, Neil Gaiman and the much-loved xkcd comic strip, have been anything but humble, with over 84,000 bundles sold, earning the... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2012-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A lack of trained professionals, of distribution channels for books, of good infrastructure, and piracy plague Indian publishers, but a dialogue for change has begun. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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At the Frankfurt Book Fair this year, representatives from a number of indie publishers demonstrated the impact they are having on the industry as a whole. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers are still prepared to pay good money up front for the right books, agents have told... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With competitive bookstores, strong sales and three major languages - Hebrew, Arabic and Russian - Israel's small but vibrant publishing industry is on the rise. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon is forcing publishers to start negotiations over ebook prices exclusive of the full 20%... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The recommendations of friends was the top driver behind children's discovery of new titles,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Friday Project has signed up a self-published crime writer who sets her novels among London... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Seven current and former heads of major American publishing houses have published a joint statement opposing hate speech in Saudi textbooks. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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