Re: scientific publishing process (was Re: Cost and access)

On 10/06/2014 09:32 AM, Phillip Lord wrote:
> "Peter F. Patel-Schneider" <pfpschneider@gmail.com> writes:
>>> Who cares what the authors intend? I mean, they are not reading the
>>> paper, are they?
>>
>> For reviewing, what the authors intend is extremely important.  Having
>> different rendering of the paper interfere with the authors' message is
>> something that should be avoided at all costs.
>
> Really? So, for example, you think that a reviewer with impared vision
> should, for example, be forced to review a paper using the authors
> rendering, regardless of whether they can read it or not?

No, but this is not what I was talking about.  I was talking about interfering 
with the authors' message via changes from the rendering that the authors' set up.

> Of course, this is an extreme example, although not an unrealistic one.
> It is fundamentally any different from my desire as I get older to be
> able to change font size and refill paragraphs with ease. I see a
> difference of scale, that is all.

I see these as completely different.  There are some aspects of rendering that 
generally do not interfere with intent.  There are other aspects of rendering 
that can easily interfere with intent.

>> Similarly for reading papers, if the rendering of the paper interferes
>> with the authors' message, that is a failure of the process.
>
> Yes, I agree. Which is why, I believe, that the rendering of a paper
> should be up to the reader

As this is why I believe that the authors' should be able to specify the 
rendering of their paper to the extent that they feel is needed to convey the 
intent of the paper.
.
> Phil

peter

Received on Monday, 6 October 2014 17:29:35 UTC