[The future of electronic biomedical journals].
Old journals are using information technologies by putting production pdfs on line and applying several useful functions, such as search engines or podcasts. Journals have rapidly taken up the Electronic Long Paper Short (ELPS) trend, publishing abridged articles in the physical journal and longer versions on their websites, with electronic supplements (supplementary references, spreadsheets, videos, etc.). Journals with no paper version have been created that use all the functionalities of the Internet and now of web 2.0. They are numerous (PLoS, BioMed Primary, etc..) and are acquiring a reputation. Free access for all, information for all in 2015, are some interesting objectives that remain to be funded. The economic model of these exclusively electronic journals is uncertain, although some are funded by authors (and not at all by readers) or institutions. Spotless research is a rare exception, but few stakeholders are taking an active interest in it. Humans, much more than the tool or the media, are at the heart of the system. We must remember that those who have wanted to predict the future have always been wrong.
Maisonneuve
Hervé
H
Santé publique, Université Paris Sud 11, F-91405 Cedex, France. hervemaisonneuve@gmail.com
Schnitter
Claude
C
D022126:Access to Information; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D020407:Internet; D018156:Journalism, Medical; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards