A debate on preprint exchange—Rebuttal: Some comments on Pasternak's criticism

PIE IS PROPOSED AS AN EXPERIMENT in prepublication communication. Just as with a scientific experiment, the outcome can not be entirely known beforehand; otherwise it would not be necessary to carry out the experiment. If we had definite answers to all the questions one can ask about scientific communication patterns and methods, this and other debates would not have to take place at all. We would simply institute programs that embody the answers, and, barring mismanagement, success would be assured.