I am in perfect agreement with Jan Erik Frantsvåg. Frontiers is very much at ease with APCs and Plan S has displayed some difficulties with thinking about OA outside the APC box. This creates a degree of convergence which cannot be equated with Schneider's conspiracy theories. Publishers tend to like OA with APCs, especially within the context of hybrid journals. Plan S has pushed back on hybrid journals - a good thing - while favoring APCs to some extent.

But the more important consequence of Plan S is that it has created a forum for a growing number of funding agencies, both public and private, to talk together, beyond national boundaries. That is crucial. Remember that funding agencies have money, much more than the combined budgets of libraries. Unlike researchers, laboratories, research institutions and even countries, they are not ranked through the impact factor. This increases their margin of maneuver. If they begin to coordinate their policies in favor of OA, it will be very difficult to go against their combined will.

Regarding Schneider's conspiracy theories, he has been at this kind of thing since at least last November - just check his blog. And the latest message that was pointed here on this list includes a photo of Markram and Smits which tries to connote some sort of buddy-buddy relationship, except for the fact that this photo is probably a photoshopped mashup. Resorting to such tactics, if demonstrated, is typical of the "fake news" syndrome.

Jean-Claude Guédon

From: "Jan Erik Frantsvåg" <[log in to unmask]>

Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2019 06:28:52 +0000

I am sceptical. Not that I think the facts are made up, but I see no trace of any activity to look for communication with other publishers – why only Frontiers?

 

I have seen scholars saying that Plan S is perfectly suited to Frontier’s business models, implying less suited for the business models of other publishers. I fail to see that Frontier’s business model is uniquely suited to Plan S, it fits most APC-based/commercial OA publishers.

 

Robert-Jan Smits has said that Plan S was developed partly based on consultations with publishers. Unless someone can document Frontiers was massively over-represented in this process, I will remain sceptical to the value of this story.

 

Best,

Jan Erik 

 

Jan Erik Frantsvåg

Open Access Adviser

The University Library

UiT The Arctic University of Norway

phone +47 77 64 49 50

e-mail [log in to unmask]

http://en.uit.no/ansatte/organisasjon/ansatte/person?p_document_id=43618&p_dimension_id=88187

Publications: http://tinyurl.com/6rycjns

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3413-8799

 

 

From: "Jim O'Donnell" <[log in to unmask]>

Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 12:54:38 -0700

This came across my screen today, making me aware that I know too
little about the author of the post, the publisher involved, and the
other facts known about the origins and development of Plan S.  Is
this posting credible and how could it help me think about the plan
and the issues?

https://forbetterscience.com/2019/07/11/frontiers-and-robert-jan-smits-emails-reveal-how-plan-s-was-conceived/

Jim O'Donnell
ASU