  As most electronic journals available today have been derived from print
originals, print journals have become a vital element in the broad development
of electronic journals publishing. Further dependence on the print publishing
model, however, will be a constraint on the continuing development of
e-journals, and a series of conflicts are likely to arise. Making the most of
e-journals requires that a distinctive new publishing model is developed. We
consider some of the issues that will be fundamental in this new model,
starting with user motivations and some reported publisher experiences, both of
which suggest a broadening desire for comprehensive linked archives. This leads
in turn to questions about the impact of rights assignment by authors, in
particular the common practice of giving exlusive rights to publishers for
individual works. Some non-prescriptive solutions are suggested, and four steps
towards optimum e-journals are proposed.
