New post by me on the OTW's main blog, about the importance of open access for fan studies and what I think open access really means. It also includes a small teaser for an upcoming project that I and a few other OTW folks have been hammering away at for months. (Why yes, I am kind of preoccupied with this open access thing.)

Many thanks to everyone ( Read more... )

Here's a lovely video about why open access for academic articles is so important. It touches upon many key problems with academic publishing, and it's animated by the guy who makes the awesome PhD Comics.

Open access explained! (8min)

( Read more... )

It's Ada Lovelace Day! Here's a fascinating intro to the Countess, her work, and especially to how people have been trying to disparage and minimize her contribution to computer science for a century. The first sentences for anyone who's not familiar with this amazing woman:

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace) is probably ( Read more... )

Rebecca Tushnet has posted a transcript of a hearing on the DMCA exemption that allows makers of non-commercial remix videos like vids and AMVs to circumvent the DRM on DVDs (something that's technically illegal) so they can create quality works with no more hassle than necessary. Along with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, The OTW was one of ( Read more... )

The OTW has been doing a survey on people's experiences with the org. It closes today, so best be quick if you were planning to take this excellent opportunity to gush, vent, and tell the org what you want from it.

By the way, the annual membership drive has been accompanied by a couple of really nice introduction posts about various OTW projects, ( Read more... )

( Read more... )

In this post ( Read more... )

Any time is a good time to donate to and/or become a member of the OTW. But everyone who gives $10 or more before October 17 can vote in next month's elections, so right now would be an especially good time.

Support amateur artists and donate!


( Read more... )