Wired UK Takes an In-Depth Look at the Rumored Google Science Publishing Project

Here’s a 2600+ word article from Wired UK about a RUMORED “Google Science” a publishing project/platform that would/could/might publish open-access peer-reviewed articles that some of you might have been hearing whispers about during the past few months.
It’s important to emphasize that Google and new service rumors are constant in all areas of the company. If nothing else, rumors keep Google’s name and reputation for innovation in the minds and on the screens of many people. This doesn’t mean that Google Science isn’t going to happen but again, it’s only a rumor at the moment. Wired UK’s reporting found no proof that the service is actually coming soon or even in the work.
The article includes comments from a few academic publishers about “what if” Google launches such a project.
The report begins with a discussion and link to a slide presentation about the rumored project that is being sent (no one knows who is sending it) to media and others.
Dieter Krachtus, author of the slide presentation, says he created the slide deck for “a couple of friends and acquaintances at Google” during 2011/2012 and says what is being sent around now is what he prepared except for a date change. Krachtus “believes the whole thing is a prank being played on him.”
Also of note:

Krachtus tells us he has had nothing to do with the presentation since 2011/12 when he shared it with friends to get feedback, then Google. But when he originally published it, he did encourage people to change it, re-share it and even remove his name — so whose hands it ended up in before the mass email went out, is anybody’s guess.

The complete 2600 word article including a bunch of embedded links is available here (via Wired UK).

Filed under: Companies (Publishers/Vendors), News, Open Access, Publishing