Comments on: The Haves and the Have Nots: Access to Computer Data Bases http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/06/the-haves-and-the-have-nots-access-to-computer-data-bases.html A Historian's Take on Food and Food Politics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:28:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ji Young http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/06/the-haves-and-the-have-nots-access-to-computer-data-bases.html/comment-page-1#comment-877 Ji Young Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:30:17 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=360#comment-877 I knew about catalogs at big American universities. Living in Los Angeles quite a few are physically accessible to me. JSTOR was enticing because I could google at home to find articles, after which JSTOR became frustrating because I could only read abstracts. At least in the States, someone with a computer can find out about these databases and find them rather easily with keyword searches if they're looking for certain kinds of articles, not "Oprah's top 10" superfoods. Speaking of databases, I know that members of the ACA who are based in the U.K. http://www.aascience.org/conference07/overview.php have been trying to create a database accessible to scientists in Algeria. I knew about catalogs at big American universities. Living in Los Angeles quite a few are physically accessible to me.

JSTOR was enticing because I could google at home to find articles, after which JSTOR became frustrating because I could only read abstracts. At least in the States, someone with a computer can find out about these databases and find them rather easily with keyword searches if they’re looking for certain kinds of articles, not “Oprah’s top 10″ superfoods.

Speaking of databases, I know that members of the ACA who are based in the U.K. http://www.aascience.org/conference07/overview.php have been trying to create a database accessible to scientists in Algeria.

]]> By: Rachel Laudan http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/06/the-haves-and-the-have-nots-access-to-computer-data-bases.html/comment-page-1#comment-865 Rachel Laudan Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:15:35 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=360#comment-865 JStor, although it´s one of the more comprehensive data bases, is just the tip of the iceberg. Just try going to the catalog of a big American university library--say California, Berkeley, Wisonsin, Minnesota, Texas, to take just some state universities, and look at the list of data bases open to their faculty and students. Some town library systems in the US plug in to these. Mexican universities are moving to buying them instead of other references. But my suspicion is that not only is a large proportion of the world's population (those that have computers, that is, which is another question) not able to access them but they do not even know of their existence. What that about what you don't know and what you don't know you don't know. JStor, although it´s one of the more comprehensive data bases, is just the tip of the iceberg. Just try going to the catalog of a big American university library–say California, Berkeley, Wisonsin, Minnesota, Texas, to take just some state universities, and look at the list of data bases open to their faculty and students.

Some town library systems in the US plug in to these. Mexican universities are moving to buying them instead of other references.

But my suspicion is that not only is a large proportion of the world’s population (those that have computers, that is, which is another question) not able to access them but they do not even know of their existence.

What that about what you don’t know and what you don’t know you don’t know.

]]> By: Ji Young http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/06/the-haves-and-the-have-nots-access-to-computer-data-bases.html/comment-page-1#comment-864 Ji Young Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:18:46 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=360#comment-864 Yes, I've hit the red light at JSTOR many, many times. Often, I just need a paragraph or two from an article or paper. Yes, I’ve hit the red light at JSTOR many, many times. Often, I just need a paragraph or two from an article or paper.

]]> By: Rajagopal Sukumar http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/06/the-haves-and-the-have-nots-access-to-computer-data-bases.html/comment-page-1#comment-852 Rajagopal Sukumar Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:16:53 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=360#comment-852 Good one rachel. All content in JSTOR should be open access. Good one rachel. All content in JSTOR should be open access.

]]> By: Bob Mrotek http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/06/the-haves-and-the-have-nots-access-to-computer-data-bases.html/comment-page-1#comment-848 Bob Mrotek Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:13:55 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=360#comment-848 Thanks for the article, Rachel. Every time I hear the words "not for profit" I smell a rat just like I do when I hear the phrase "win-win situation". There are winners and there are losers and with JSTOR we are the losers. The people at JSTOR are protecting their big fat salaries and other perks and until someone pays them off somehow they will continue to hold everyone up like institutional bandits. If they need to cover reasonable administrative costs, fine. I am willing to pay. I just don't want to pay for gold faucets in the JSTOR bathrooms. Thanks for the article, Rachel. Every time I hear the words “not for profit” I smell a rat just like I do when I hear the phrase “win-win situation”. There are winners and there are losers and with JSTOR we are the losers. The people at JSTOR are protecting their big fat salaries and other perks and until someone pays them off somehow they will continue to hold everyone up like institutional bandits. If they need to cover reasonable administrative costs, fine. I am willing to pay. I just don’t want to pay for gold faucets in the JSTOR bathrooms.

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