Open Access and the Public Domain

摘要

In general, this conference acknowledged the interests of many stakeholders in the scientific publication process. But with contributions and attendance primarily from the academic and government sector, and little attendance from the publishing community, it's not surprising that the emphasis was on the widest possible distribution of information at no cost. However, the strongest pleas were for free access to scientific data in government-produced databases. These were intended to support the widest possible reuse and analysis, especially for scientists in countries without the resources to do high-cost, basic research. Notwithstanding a couple of comments from the floor, I heard more acceptance of the benefits and roles of traditional journal publishers, but with pleas for more to be done on regional pricing flexibility, con-sortial arrangements, and warnings on excessive profiteering. A close watch on the progress of the World Summit's agenda is highly recommended for all who are interested in scientific communication.