You are right: that was contributed more out of respect than of vanity:-)
No, I do not seek any financial gains. Having published quite a lot in my field in academic journals, I have never received a penny. On the contrary, I had to pay publication charges. Believe me, I know the rules of the game:-)
Perhaps, I was misunderstood.
Even book authors do not get their money and effort back.
The publishers obviously do: they are in a business mode and calculate how many individual buyers and libraries would get the book.
What I am talking about is that there is no academically-oriented journal dedicated to the field and providing a soapbox for the individual researchers.
It can easily be profitable, because of university libraries that are almost obligated to subscribe and individual subscriptions. The journals routinely charge publication fees. They are not a feeding trough, but a modest revenue source for the publisher.
If anybody has connections in the publishing world, desire and time, it might be reasonably realistic to establish one. And that would be a great service for the entire community and the field of historic arms research as well as a focus of academic endeavours.
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