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From: ed@titipu.meta.com (Edward Reid)
Newsgroups: comp.org.acm
Subject: Re: Communications ACM format
Message-ID: <1CE00001.fc4kaf@titipu.meta.com>
Date: 11 May 91 14:34:41 GMT
Reply-To: ed@titipu.meta.com (Edward Reid)
Organization: Metalogic
Lines: 41
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In article <1991May10.163453.10091@cc.newcastle.edu.au>, eepjm@cc.newcastle.edu.au writes:
> 
> OK, can somebody tell me:
>   1.  Where does the ACM now publish the sort of thing which used to
>       be in the CACM?

First, a lot of it is still in CACM.  The fact is that many of the best
articles are referred to CACM from the other journals, and published in CACM. 
But there seem to be some people who remember a "golden age" of CACM which
never existed.  CACM has published many excellent articles in its life, but it
has been a long life.  The density of excellence has never been great.  In
large part, that is because in computer science it is still difficult to judge
value before publication.  The density of excellence in computer science
generally is not high.

Second, a lot of it is no longer written.  When TOPLAS and TOCS were announced,
I rejoiced: more of what I liked to read.  I subscribed to each for about two
years before realizing that the amount of interesting material had not
increased, only the number of words.  I think all the Transactions should be
abolished.  They exist for the publish-or-perish system.  SIGPLAN Notices, CAN,
and other SIG pubs suffered also, because what was being published unrefereed
could now be published refereed, earning more brownie points and covering more
pages more pretentiously.  Now I look forward to LOPLAS.  I will probably be
disappointed again.  What is life but hope?

>   2.  Is there a mechanism that lets me drop my CACM subscription and get
>       that other journal instead?
> 
> IMHO, formed after being a member of a number of different professional
> organisations, a "magazine for all members" has just one real virtue: it
> lightens my reading load in that I don't have to open it before throwing
> it in the rubbish bin......
> 
> Peter Moylan                         eepjm@cc.newcastle.edu.au
> 
The Transaction journals lighten my reading load.  Due to their dilute content,
I don't even have to bother subscribing.  The SIG newsletters remain ACM's best
publications.

Edward Reid  (8-}>
  eel:   ed@titipu.meta.com
  snail: PO Box 378/Greensboro FL 32330