My article making the case for open source and open content in composition studies, Copyright, Access and Digital Texts, has just been published in Across the Disciplines, a new peer-reviewed journal hosted at the WAC Clearinghouse:
As consumers of text, we make selections which either support or deny the proprietary publishing model. As producers of text, we can decide how our writing is to be published and accessed by others.
- If we create open content, we are making materials available to all, setting an example which resides in contrast to one of control, creating an alternative metaphor to the domineering one of property, ownership.
- If we advocate open content and open source, we will gain more supporters of open content as the "right way" of creating texts for both education and our society, building a larger political base for eventually reforming intellectual property laws.
- If we use open content and open source in our classes, we can discuss sharing, pointing out to students how the principles of peer-to-peer are aligned with our concerns about access.
Note that the article is published under the copyleft Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 License, so feel free to do what you will with it.
Congrats!
This is really cool. I hope they start publishing other works with CC licenses.
CultureCat
other works with CC licenses
I think all you have to do is ask. I would imagine that most online journals would be more than willing to publish a piece under a CC license. A few of the editors I have spoken with see no reason why they wouldn't. So hopefully, I made enough of a case in that piece so that people will start asking. But I'm not getting my hopes up.
Great Article
Wow, Charlie, this is really good stuff. You definitely make some good points in here that I doubt any sensible person could deny. It's also nice how you make your points without bashing the opposition--though I suppose that stuff is between the lines; i.e., don't publish in Computers & Composition.
I have been having a similar discussion on a retrogaming forum. The problem there is pretty severe; the retro-gamers want to play old games that are no longer in publication and have been long abandoned. However, as soon as a website starts promoting the game and rom, the original owner or, more likely, a faceless corporation will give them a cease and desist order. That done, faceless corporation (who probably saw the potential and immediately bought a license or the copyright) will start selling the ROM at an unfair price.
I can't find many people who agree that this business practice is foul and contrary to the spirit of progress, nor can I find many who are capable of taking a critical view of copyright and see how severely it limits access. Articles like yours are definitely a step in the right direction. I wish you would consider writing another one that wasn't limited to writing instructors, but to all academic writers.
C&C and print journals
Thanks!
But the thing is, I'm not suggesting we stop publishing in print journals. Merely that if everyone would do a little bit to expand the public commons, it can make a difference. And I'm also wary of over zealous rhetoric that pushes a hard line. While I admire Richard Stallman for his principles, I do believe that the softer example of what Linux is about has done more for promoting open source, and indeed copyleft, then Stallman has.
So, I think there are a lot of writing teachers who are uncomfortable with the current state of IP, and with a little wakeup call, will realize that they can easily take a stand merely through the things that I have suggested. For instance, imagine how many people there are who really don't like MS Office because of MS's business tactics, but haven't tried OpenOffice. And think about how many teachers there are who publish online--whether course materials or in ejournals--who really would like to let other teachers feel that they can use their materials in some way more than specified under fair use. Knowing about Creative Commons and considering that using it sends out the right positive message should/will have some appeal.
This is also why I was excited when Mike Palmquist asked me to submit my article for review with Across the Disciplines. The WAC teachers are already seeing some benefit to increased access through what's being done at the WAC Clearinghouse. They have a positive example. But they may not know about Creative Commons licenses or understand the significance of using them.
Of course, if/when use of Creative Commons licensing and open source becomes more common place, then it will be time to evaluate the ownership-based model of print publishers more carefully against what will be a contemporay practice. First though is awareness and introduction. Education first. Baby steps, you know :)