The deconstructed journal - a new model for academic publishing

The limitations of existing proposed and operational publishing models inte nded to replace the academic journal are briefly reviewed. Three 'insights' are described, the first is into the 'means/end' confusion of muck current net-based Publishing activity, the second is that it is the purpose, not t he form, that is the important aspect of the traditional academic journal m odel, and the third is that satisfactory net-based Publishing models need n ot contain a central publisher. From this new viewpoint is developed the De constructed Journal (DJ) model which it is suggested is a better model for network based academic publishing It also solves some of the problems of th e current model. Although the main focus of the DJ model is the replacement of the STM journal it has implications for all areas of academic journal p ublishing.