What's information worth?

A recent news story reported that a group of librarians is protesting the high cost of some professional publications. The article said one specific journal, Brain Research, costs $17,444 per year. To me that cost seems excessive, but researchers who need the information may pay the price.

At the other end of the spectrum, magazines such as Test & Measurement World give away information. Obviously, advertiser dollars let readers get these publications for free. T&MW also provides magazine articles and other information for free on its Web site. People who use the Web have gotten into the habit of thinking all such information should be free. But it won’t remain free forever. You’ll have to get used to paying something for the information you need. Although some people maintain Web sites as a labor of love, most researchers and writers expect payment for their efforts.

In the Boston area, you can buy either the paper or Web edition of a classified- advertising publication for $1.75. You have unlimited access to each Web issue for a week, so you can search for what you want when you need it. Not bad for immediate access to thousands of classified ads.

Businesses that charge a small amount per article or for a specific period of access to information may have a workable plan. Even a hybrid approach might work. I pay The Wall Street Journal a small annual fee to access its archives, and $2.95 for each older article I obtain. That’s worth it to quickly obtain important data for a report or presentation.

At T&MW, we have no immediate plans to charge for information, but don’t be surprised if some of your favorite “free” Web sites do. Even your “free” public library requires tax money to buy its books, magazines, and newspapers.

You wouldn’t design complex test software for free, so don’t expect that companies and individuals will freely share information with you. Free information on the Web has been fun, but remember, you often get just what you pay for.

Our reader-service card retires
T&MW has retired its paper reader-service card because serious buyers and prospects now contact companies directly using phone, fax, e-mail, and Web sites. If you wish to contact several companies at one time, you can still use the TIX numbers associated with articles, products, and advertisements. Just start at our TestInfoXpress Web page, and follow the steps to request information. T&MW