So one alternative is to have a preprint server like arXiv (where papers can be posted) that directly serves as a journal, potentially with peer reviews that are also posted. Independent of paper availability to the public, this would also save researchers’ time. (Instead of formatting papers to fit the Elsevier guidelines, they could be doing more research or training new researchers.)
What problem would this solve? And how does the existence of Sci-Hub change the calculus?
https://www.sci-hub.st
So one alternative is to have a preprint server like arXiv (where papers can be posted) that directly serves as a journal, potentially with peer reviews that are also posted. Independent of paper availability to the public, this would also save researchers’ time. (Instead of formatting papers to fit the Elsevier guidelines, they could be doing more research or training new researchers.)