Elsevier threatens others for linking to Sci-Hub but does so itself
A couple of silly questions:1. How did publishers like Elsevier get started?2. Was their value proposition true back in the day? How did it change over time?3. How did the industry evolve?3b. What are the barriers to entry and how did those evolve?3c. What was the business model then and what is it now? Who are the clients (universities, I presume)? How do they pay for this (taxpayer money? If so, that's a huge clue). Who is the decision-maker regarding these purchases?4. How is it possible that they still exist? If they don't provide value anymore, then what is it? Are people habitual creatures? Are they pressuring universities? Did they somehow get a vendor lock-in effect (can people get out)?I'm simply trying to get why it became what it became and why it isn't dying in the slightest despite researchers trying to organize themselves a bit for open access.