The online discussion forum FOSS: Policy and Development Implications is launched to critically discuss the developmental role of FOSS. An initiative of several civil society organisations and UN agencies from Africa and Asia, this e-discussion focuses on, among other aspects, the economic potentials of FOSS in achieving the MDGs.

gpgNet, a platform for information exchange and discussion on issues of provisioning public goods, will hold a discussion forum on open access from 20 September to 4 October 2004. Open access refers to the concept of providing absolute free access to scholarly publications on the internet and leveraging socio-economic benefits of investing public money on the research in producing such publications. The forum will debate on the advantages and
disadvantages of open access publication and its implications on knowledge management.