Seeing is Believing

While OA disbelievers are right about the existence of profitable publishers and their grip on profits, what must be remembered is that OA does not require their cooperation. Here's another Peter Suber article explaining the wonders of OA to authors who have trouble seeing past the profit barrier. Excerpt:

"A surprising number of OA converts - I am one - did not go beyond understanding to enthusiasm until they provided OA to their own writings and saw for themselves, sometimes suddenly, the signs of rising impact. There is a discernible increase in e-mail from serious readers, inclusions in course syllabi, links from on-line indices, invitations to important conferences and citations in other publications. When you experience this in your own case, although anecdotal it is compelling. When you hear it from a trusted colleague, it is persuasive. OA is about barrier-free sharing of research results with colleagues worldwide. This enlarges our audience and increases our impact. This is the message that our busy colleagues must understand. "