PDF versions of papers (was RE: Table of contents for Gaia theropod website)

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

> From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> Colin McHenry
>
> It seems obvious that online publishing of scientific articles is
> inevitable, but we still seem to be restricted to the print only
> versions at
> the moment.  Are any of the major journals initiating any progress on this
> front (beyond the existing archive services that you have to pay
> for).

The last bit is the tricky one.  Yes, a LOT of journals now have online
versions with pdf versions available: not only the biggies (Science, Nature,
PDAS) or the main subject area journals (JVP, Journal of Paleontology,
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, Palaeontology, Netherlands Journal of
Zoology, American Zoologist, etc.), but also some of the monographic series
(American Museum Novitates, Bulletin of the AMNH, etc.).  However, because
these publications get most of their funding from library and individual
subscriptions, in order to pay for site fees, etc., they are offering these
pdf versions only to those individuals or insititutions that have paid for
an electronic subscription and/or on a pay-per-article basis.  Thems the
breaks in the capitalist world, at least for the time being.

(If only people could work out a way to make micropayments of a few cents
per page (or in any rate, comparable to library xerox charges) this would be
so much easier...).

For a good (although not exhaustive) list of online paleo-related journals,
check out Jerry Harris' links page:
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~jdharris/Journal_Links.html.

>  And
> what about the previous 200 years of palaeontological literature
> (many of th
> key references for plesiosaurs were published before 1900!)?

Actually, a lot of old archival material is coming up on line.  Don't know
about the plesiosaur literature, but (for example) this site
(http://www.esp.org/) has classic literature in genetics, evolution,
geology, and natural history available, including very big works (like
Lyell's three volumes of Principles of Geology).  JSTOR
(http://www.jstor.org/) is a more general site for archived papers, some
going back to the 1600s.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
                College Park, MD  20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/tholtz.htm
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Fax (Geol):  301-314-9661       Fax (CPS-ELT): 301-405-0796