Right, but the problem is that us non-experts can't tell whether something posted on the arXiv holds water or not. Being posted on the arXiv carries very little signal.
Don't get me wrong: I love the arXiv and use it regularly. Long papers can be posted there, get disseminated quickly, and can be downloaded freely. The problem I have is that many people think anything on the arXiv is automatically true -- but there's lots of cranks posting proofs of P ?= NP and etc.
Yes, the acid test is obviously whether or not it works, but that's why we need to wait for the experts to figure it out and vet it.
Don't get me wrong: I love the arXiv and use it regularly. Long papers can be posted there, get disseminated quickly, and can be downloaded freely. The problem I have is that many people think anything on the arXiv is automatically true -- but there's lots of cranks posting proofs of P ?= NP and etc.
Yes, the acid test is obviously whether or not it works, but that's why we need to wait for the experts to figure it out and vet it.