----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- The issue of publication prices (in this case books, but the issue is similar) recently came on a mathematics history list. See http://www.chasque.apc.org/jgc/historia.html the main archive or http://forum.swarthmore.edu/epigone/historia_matematica/lebrermhil/3A23236A.B2B589F@earthl ink.net for the specific post (you may have to paste the address back together) One of the comments is ironic, given the sentiments above. "There are only two ways to combat this. One is to boycott Kluwer--Reed Elsevier, the other international scientific publishing conglomerate is much better about their pricing and their copying rules are less draconian then Kluwer's." For various reasons; in particular, cost and speed, electronic publishing, by scholars for scholars, seems logical. Perhaps the key barrier is getting such publications valued by the profession. In the same sense that scholars prefer their work be published in the most prestigious journals, they could prefer an electronic forum, with the proper structure and credentials. Certainly, the process of peer review and circulation could be sped up greatly, compacting the time required for spread of knowledge. Meanwhile, peer review comparable to that of print journals should protect quality. Two entirely electronic journals that I am aware of are "edreview" and "Journal of Statistics Education" Interested parties may want to contact the editors at http://coe.asu.edu/edrev/ and http://www.amstat.org/publications/jse/ Mike Robison ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]