Pros and Cons of Putting Content Online for Free
To recap…
Advantages:
OpenContent License – This specifically protects your academic software allowing you to experience the benefits of exposure whilst knowing your software is safe from misrepresentation.
Free Journal Articles – This will allow you to publish your academic research without engaging in the controversial activities that journals and researchers can sometimes do (charging multiple times for taxpayer research).
Disadvantages:
U2 Example: Sadly, not everyone will appreciate your work or want some of it. It could be unpopular.
Research Council’s UK: They offer some protection to academic writers, but as they say themselves it isn’t entirely watertight.
Ecclestone, D. (2014) ‘Bono: “I’m Working On My Apology…For The Apology”’, Mojo Mojo, 21 November. Available at: http://www.mojo4music.com/17648/u2-bono-refuses-to-apologise/ (Accessed: 1 December 2014).
Grossman, L. (1998) New Free License to Cover Content Online, TIME Digital Daily. Available at: http://web.archive.org/web/20000619122406/http://www.time.com/time/digital/daily/0,2822,621,00.html (Accessed: 1 December 2014).
Newsday (2012) Make tax-funded scientific research public, Newsday. Make tax-funded scientific research public – Newsday. Available at: http://www.newsday.com/opinion/make-tax-funded-scientific-research-public-1.3555902 (Accessed: 1 December 2014).
RCUK (no date) RCUK Policy on Open Access and Supporting Guidance. Available at: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/RCUK-prod/assets/documents/documents/RCUKOpenAccessPolicy.pdf (Accessed: 1 December 2014).
