June 1, 2007 (Vol. 27, No. 11)
Rating:
Strong Points: May be a good idea
Weak Points: May be a bad idea
Summary:
You’ve heard of open-source software and open-source information. So, why not an open research project? That’s the question the designers of YourSciCom are asking—and answering, as well. An open research project, according to the site information, is a platform for scientists to work together (hope it doesn’t get crowded) on projects and post individual experiments and ideas. That rather amorphous description doesn’t say too much, so I was hoping to see how the project worked in practice. Needless to say I was disappointed that only one project—“How does tumor stroma contribute to cancer development”—was listed. Still hopeful, I jumped to the section on protocols, hoping to see it full of useful tidbits. There were a few very simple protocols listed, but again, the shelves of the store were pretty empty. YourSciCom looks like it might be a great idea but then again, it might be a bust. It appears only now to be getting off the ground, though the site describes itself as version 2.0. Will it work? Only time will tell.
