The concern remains that the results of research financed by the public's taxes are not available free. The science establishment turns out of be conservative, however, and is sticking to the tradition of time consuming peer review and publication in the established journals. The results are still appropriated by the journals and published at great expense but considerable profit and public access is correspondingly limited.
Still, some signs of progress are reported as taking advantage of technological changes, most importantly in the growth of the internet and the emergence of the “open web”. Open access sites include the Public Library of Science (PloS), GalaxyZoo, ResearchGate, arXiv, and ScienceOnline.
Tne traditional journals have seemingly struck back, supporting the Research Works Act now in Congress which would protect the traditional publishers through restricting access to papers and data.
Lin, however, seems convinced that the times are a changing and that access will be more open, costs reduced, the scientific process speeded up, and advantage taken of the technological changes in communication.
