As an ex-research scientist now working on improving scholarly collaboration,Â  I have no problems at all with several business models coexisting in research publishing.Â  If, say a private consultancy conducts its own research at its own expense then it should be free to sell it as it sees fit.Â  But by the same token, publically funded research conducted for the public good should be publically available, period.

As you pointed out at this week's meeting in Cambridge, there is a real chance for the current business models to evolve for the benefit of both publishers and researchers.Â  The transition to a serviced-based publishing model where publishers can add value in ways other than distribution - for instance, by semantically marking up existing texts - is a real opportunity for growth and diversification but can only really come aboutÂ through active participation by all involved.Â

All this act will do is polarise opinion.Â  Researchers will actively oppose it, the AAP will embrace it and the two camps will end up at loggerheads and nothing will change.Â  It is a squalid piece of legislation funded by producer interests that is entirely contrary to the public interest in general, not just that of the scientific community.Â  And it simply goes to demonstrate that the US has the best political system that money can buy.