[Open-access] Introducing: Who Needs Access? You Need Access!

[Mike Taylor]

On 17 February 2012 05:34, Jenny Molloy <jcmcoppice12 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm getting asked for a login...not sure if anyone else is having that
> problem but would you mind checking the settings?

... and ...

On 17 February 2012 09:03, Peter Murray-Rust <pm286 at cam.ac.uk> wrote:
> I'm also being asked for login. Does Mike have to set emails?

Sorry, very stupid of me!  I have changed the settings now.  Of
course, this means the site is open to the world now, and at really
isn't ready for that -- so for now, DO NOT PASS ON THE URL.

On 17 February 2012 07:23, cameronneylon.net <cn at cameronneylon.net> wrote:
> I think documented cases both of lack of access and ideally documented cases of what can happen when there is access. We need validated stories that we can tell about this as well as numbers and arguments.

That is an *excellent* point.  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the
damage done by barrier-based publishing that I forget how much good is
done when research *is* open access!  So, yes, we want success stories
as well as frustrating ones.

On 17 February 2012 08:37, Tom Olijhoek <tom.olijhoek at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 2. A sense of whether this is more or less what we all intended, and
>> so whether the site can be part of @ccess
>
> I think it is perfect

Good to know.  If other agree, I will tweak the site to make it
obviously part of @access.

>> 3. Other people to join me in maintaining the site: we should really
>> have three or more editors to give the sense of a group.
>
> count me in

Thanks!  Please send me the email address by which you registered at
WordPress.com (register one first, if needs be!) and I will add you as
an administrator.  Please also send a photo and a brief biography like
the one of me at http://youneedaccess.wordpress.com/about/ -- I'll add
them.

> I have asked Willem Proonen who runs an medical educational sevice company
> targeted on Africa to bring me into contact with people. Also I can make a
> call for stories on the MalariaWorld website

Excellent.

On 17 February 2012 09:18, Peter Murray-Rust <pm286 at cam.ac.uk> wrote:
> I am assuming we are intending to release this material as it becomes
> appropriate - possibly in phases. There's nothing wrong with having small
> groups of people working on projects off-air as long as it's clear that it's
> temporary. If there is confidential material that's harder and will require
> some careful thought.

Yes.  I see this as a functionally independent, though of course
organisationally very connected, effort.  A few of us should be able
to keep this site rolling along happily in our spare time once we have
it up and running.  I certainly don't imagine anything remotely
confidential on it.

> It's difficult to devise an ethical double-blind trial about
> the value of medical information,

I made that very point the other day on Twitter, in part of a thread
in which David Smith was rather implausibly claiming that lack of
access to research doesn't cost lives.
        https://twitter.com/#!/SauropodMike/status/169810699751669760

-- Mike.