Following the botanical Code, the zoological Code was amended a few days ago to allow online publication under certain conditions. These amendments have already taken effect. The whole thing is explained and reproduced here: http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/3944/ Important points: -- Publication on CD/DVD/BluRay will no longer be allowed from 2013 onwards. "8.4.1. Works printed on paper. Before 1986 and after 2012, the only acceptable means of producing physical copies is by printing on paper using ink or toner." -- Online publication must result in "8.1.3.2. widely accessible electronic copies with fixed content and layout. Example: PDF/A (Portable Document Format Archive), described by ISO Standard 19005-1:2005, is a file format that allows content and layout to be preserved unchanged." -- The date of publication must be stated in the work itself. -- The work (not necessarily the name or nomenclatural act; but the work) must be registered in ZooBank, which is now also called the "Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature", before it is published. Evidence that registration has occurred must be included in the work itself. -- "8.5.3.1. The entry in the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature must give the name and Internet address of an organization other than the publisher that is intended to permanently archive the work in a manner that preserves the content and layout, and is capable of doing so. This information is not required to appear in the work itself." -- "8.5.3.2. The entry in the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature must give an ISBN for the work or an ISSN for the journal containing the work. The number is not required to appear in the work itself." It must, however, be mentioned in the ZooBank entry. -- "21.9. Works issued on paper and electronically. A name or nomenclatural act published in a work issued in both print and electronic editions takes its date of publication from the edition that first fulfilled the criteria of publication of Article 8 and is not excluded by Article 9." Finally, options for dealing with the future are kept open: "8.6. New methods of publication and archiving. The Commission may issue Declarations to clarify whether new or unconventional methods of production, distribution, formatting or archiving can produce works that are published in the meaning of the Code." I like all of these. Because it is described by an ISO Standard, PDF/A will not disappear if Adobe goes bankrupt or something, nor even if silicon chips are replaced by quantum computers or who knows what. Furthermore, PDF is designed for ease of printing. All this minimizes the concern that a special device is needed to read it, as is clearly the case with "optical discs". The advantages of online publication are manifest; I think we should join the bandwagon. After all, the PhyloCode was online years before the ICZN was.
(740) 593–9381 | Building 21, The Ridges
Ohio University | Athens OH 45701 | 740.593.1000 ADA Compliance | © 2018 Ohio University . All rights reserved.