q00001 at TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU writes:
>In article <94049.104457FORSDYKE at QUCDN.QueensU.CA>, <FORSDYKE at QUCDN.QueensU.CA> writes:
>> "stuff deleted"
>I agree that the use of the e-medium to transmit information is very
>under-utilized. I do have a concern that the quality of information may be
>overrun by the quantity if e-medium cites were allowed. As with most things
>there are ways to work these matters out. A group could be set up with several
>moderators who could act as "editor/review" for focused topics. Articles could
>be sent out to other "e-reviewers" before posting.
No one will take E-journals seriously unless they are at least as
controlled as the _average_ journal in a field. Every E-journal which serves
as another dumping ground for half-baked projects and poorly-reviewed
works will simply delay the acceptance of this as a serious medium.
>Currently the type of material which
>could appear on e-medium is somewhat limited due to presentation
>difficulties. I do not have extensive experience in the area of Unix and
>X-mosaic but this appears to have great potential--again from what I
>understand.
You understand correctly. Mosaic certainly has all the elements
required for be the front end to an electronic journal (there
are actually a couple of bio-journals trying this route --
see http://golgi.harvard.edu/journals.html), and is actually
a lot better equipped for the job than the software supplied
with the CD-ROM version of the ASM journals (IMO. of course). The WWW server
software also have the rudiments of what's needed (such as passwords
and annotation capacity) for electronic reviewing of manuscripts,
as well as the basic mechanisms to allow billing of readers (if so
desired) or restriction to "members" (in the case of society journals).
What is mainly needed is people willing to set-up, publish, and review
in such a journal.
