Re: computer-go: Proposal for an electronic journal of computer go

[Julian Richardson <julianr@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear List,

Michael Collins writes:
> Hi All,
> 
>      Are we going to be creating a purely technical/mathematical journal?
> 
>      If not I'd like to see if we can include information on the strengths
> and weaknesses of current go software, possibly .sgf format files of games
> from the computer go ladder etc.
>      It would be nice to see papers and articles on approaches to modelling
> go, possibly seeing if authors would contribute their own approaches as
> well.
>
I think such articles would be of interest, and help to make a more
balanced and readable journal. If, however, we go down this route, and 
if we don't have peer review, but instead the kind of committee review
suggested earlier, then I think we are no longer publishing a serious
academic journal.

I'll just comment on a couple of other points which have arisen:

Anonymity of papers during review: I think that most journals and
conferences don't bother with this. To anyone who is familiar enough
with the field to to be reviewing the paper, it is obvious who the
author is (look at the bibliography, for example).

Publishing "rejected papers". I don't think this is a good idea. The
authors should be encouraged, if appropriate, to work some more on the
paper and resubmit at a later date. 

Best wishes,

Julian

--
  Sardine: petit poisson sans tete qui vit dans l'huile. --- Leo Campion 
Julian Richardson                         http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/~julianr/
Mathematical Reasoning Group, Edinburgh University, Phone: +44 131 650 2720