US scientists, by and large, would probably not get on board if the US was going to charge foreign scientists for access. For one thing, a major reason for open-access journals is so that researchers in less-developed countries that may not have access to expensive journals can still keep abreast of current research. Plus, at least in my industry, there basically aren't national borders to the research. Sure, I apply to US for my grant money and my colleagues in Austria apply to their government for their grant money, but we're collaborating, visiting each other, and conferencing like we're all in the same magical Country of Science.

Yeah, it would quickly turn into the spam we all get from random publishers asking us to contribute to their journal we've never heard of... So how would a scheme like this pull itself up by its own bootstraps out of the morass of publication spam we all get already?

I definitely agree about plea bargains.

Finally, I can say with no irony.... "cool story bro"

Very interesting, thanks.

You haven't been watching Adobe commercials lately, have you? You can make it go viral by slapping someone. That's also how you measure ROI on social media, btw.

Yeah, I'd looooove to see the Republicans, aka Wealth Creation Force (TM) go to town on that proposal: "*We* built this nation, we are entitled to a share (Nontaxable of course, it's investment income. Which shouldn't be taxed, or if it is it should be a much lower rate, obviously.). *You* on the other hand...should've bought a robot..."

My sig sums up my feelings about this post...

Yeah, I hear that assertion all the time. Um, are we talking about the same people who threaten to fire workers if the so-called (by them) "Welfare President" is reelected? They're probably already practicing the phrase: "Get a robot, slacker!"

(Sorry, I just realized that how I quoted "gets all the way there" looks like I'm trying to claim you said that exact phrase. I was contrasting with your phrase "only gets part way".)

I guess I'm not sure what you mean by "gets all the way there". It sounds like you mean, not only is all work doable by machines, but machines or their output are accessible to all in such a fashion that they can get all of their basic needs met. I'm not even sure what that would mean. Will most people have manufacturing machines to produce goods for barter? Will most people have machines that produce most of what they use? Will people own machines which will earn salaries for the owners? Will everything be free?

Widget Workshop was a great mac game back in the 90s which gave you a lot of components to build things, ranging from electronic circuits to mechanical machines.