A Concept for Applying Computer Technology to the Publication of Scientific Journals

c Although computer technology has been introduced into every other phase of scientific communication, relatively little use has yet been made of it in primary dissemination–perhaps because of the limited operational scale of the typical journal. An editorial processing center (EPC) is conceived as a mechanism for combining small publishing operations to achieve a scale great enough for significant computerization while leaving each editor in full command of his own publication. The EPC's computer assists authors, editors, and referees to perform their essential, intellectual functions by relieving them of non-essential, programmable functions. Its final output is a magnetic tape for use in photocomposition. The EPC concept is presented by tracing the path of a single manuscript from preparation to publication. The costs and benefits of an EPC are then assessed, and a number of questions are raised for further study.