Dear all,
...and here is another statement from a Pub Comm. member:
Dear Joe, and all,
I am afraid you and Roger are 100% right and this is quite serious for us as responsible members of the PC. We are its members à titre personnel, not e.g. as representatives of any privileged TC. It is evident from the emails that Otto has circulated/is circulating the proposal in TC6 in spite of its equally evident confidential character and that at least one person in TC6 or elsewhere (Harry Rudin) is involved in separate, non-IFIP endorsed, negotiations with outsiders (Google). So the breach of confidence must be assumed a fact and may expose us, i.e. IFIP but also maybe personally as commission members, to repercussions from Springer.
Clearly I reject these unprofessional actions and wish to distantiate myself from the situation they create. I therefore consider myself forced, with enormous reluctance, to ask for a formal position on this by IFIP, preferably by word from IFIP President and President-Elect (cc:). Failing that please consider this as my letter of resignation from the PC with immediate effect.
Kind regards
--Robert Meersman (from Perth, Australia)
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Private comment: This is hard stuff. The offer made by Springer was not marked as "confidential" (and in other cases even the most boring statements are already marked as "strictly confidential"). I don't think that IFIP can forbid us to discuss publication alternatives with others.
Now Robert meersman asks for a formal position of IFIP, probably directed against me. Or he will resign. Let's see what happens.
Best regards Otto