I am probably the only one on this list who has actually started a
journal and followed through on it, built an organization, obtained
sponsorship, built a technical infrastructure, and produced a few
hundred papers. There has never been a sane person who has done that
twice.

Observations:
1. Starting a journal is very hard work.
2. No journal has ever succeeded due to "innovative features".
3. The library community is good at cataloging and archiving content.
4. The code4lib community, using its current apparatus, is good at
commenting on and refining ideas.
5. This is one of those ideas.
6. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

So here's my problem statement:

What is the smallest, cheapest and least invasive tweak on Code4Lib's
current apparatus that would satisfy the needs expressed in the
current thread of the Code4Lib listserv??

Suggested answer- find a way to identify, catalog and archive (see #3
above) important, significant, or useful threads from the Code4Lib
listserv, then call the result the Code4Lib journal.

identification- simple slashdot style voting - a threshold of +5
(initiator can't vote)
archiving- D-space? + LOCKSS?
cataloguing- no idea occurs to me at the moment.

self-referential proposal: This thread should be:
"A code4lib journal proposal"  Jeffery Davis, et.al., Code4Lib
Journal, Vol. 2006, Article 1.

Potential problems:
  forked threads
  meandering threads
  open "authorship"
  inappropriate "titles"
  participation by bots

Eric


--

Eric Hellman, Director                            OCLC Openly
Informatics Division
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