Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around locating classic papers in physics, specifically Lorentz's 1899 paper on Lorentz transformations and Schrödinger's original papers in quantum mechanics. Participants share resources and links, as well as address copyright concerns related to these historical documents.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Technical explanation
- Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- One participant seeks assistance in finding Lorentz's 1899 paper and Schrödinger's original papers in quantum mechanics, mentioning they have one of Schrödinger's papers but are looking for the others.
- Another participant provides a link to Lorentz's 1904 publication of the Lorentz transformations, expressing uncertainty about the availability of other papers.
- A participant mentions having the 1904 paper in a Dover book and expresses the desire for an electronic copy for discussions.
- Links to a collection of classic physics papers are shared, including a specific reference to Lorentz's 1899 paper in French.
- Concerns about copyright ownership of these old papers are raised, with one participant stating that the Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW) owns the copyright and publishes the papers in the public domain.
- Another participant suggests contacting the Library of Congress for further assistance in locating the papers.
- There is mention of a past link regarding the centennial of The Physical Review, which featured important papers, but uncertainty exists about the current availability of that resource.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally agree on the difficulty of locating specific classic papers and the relevance of copyright issues, but there is no consensus on the best methods for finding these papers or the status of the mentioned resources.
Contextual Notes
Participants express uncertainty regarding the copyright duration and the applicability of EU copyright law to these historical papers. The discussion also highlights the potential limitations of online resources for accessing classic physics papers.