Ken and Others: Re: Publishers and contracts I don't have a perfect solution to hte problems Ken refers to below, but I have a partial solution. I agree that the publication business is very powerful It is almost impossible to change a contract and if you ever read the small print on a contract you would be horrified. Regardless we all sign them. What I have done a number of times is to pre-publish my images, cartoons and figures, particularly for book chapters and reviews, seminars and talks on our Purdue CD-ROM series. As you know, authors retain the copyrights to their materials by virtue of our CD-ROM publication policy. Then I can used my material in any other publication and I give "permission" to the other publication to "reproduce" the material. We even have a form printed on our website specifically for use in this purpose. Thus the publisher never owns it, and they cannot reproduce it in any other publication without seekign my permission. Since we formally publish our CD-ROMs and give ISBN numbers etc, they are considered formal publications just like any other publication. So, you are always welcome to do the same! I even call myself a publisher!!!! Paul Robinson Purdue CD-ROMs Publisher On 17 May 2002, at 15:09, Kenneth Ault wrote: This topic raises an issue that has bothered me for some time. It seems to me that publishers routinely use the native desire of scientists to become famous, and the fact that many of us have considerable egos, to take advantage of us. They ask us to write articles for books, or to edit books, and pay nothing or a pittance when they are able to make enough money to make it worthwhile for themselves. I'm not saying that publishing is anything close to the energy trading business in terms of profitability, but I do think we are taken advantage of. It would be nice (although probably impossible) if the scientific community could come up with a mechanism to defend ourselves against this kind of exploitation. Maybe its just my stupidity and poor negotiating ability, but I'd be interested in the thoughts of others. Ken Ault J.Paul Robinson, PhD PH:(765)4940757 Professor of Immunopharmacology Professor of Biomedical Engineering Purdue University FAX:(765)4940517 EMAIL:jpr@flowcyt.cyto.purdue.edu WEB: http://www.cyto.purdue.edu
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