From WSIS, Tunis
http://www.wsis-si.org/oa-facts.html OPEN ACCESS : THE FACTS SUMMARY * Scientific authors do not receive any financial compensation for their papers. They donate their works to Journals * Reviewers in Scientific Journals are not paid either. * Most scientific journals are currently very expensive, and prices continue to rise. * Only the wealthiest Universities can currently afford those subscription prices. * The paradox : the intent of scientists is that anybody should be able freely read their papers, and yet most of the world cannot access their papers. * Alternatives are being proposed by the scientists themselves : Open Access Journals and Open Archives. * The transition from current subscription-based journals to Open Access Journals and Open Archives would actually save money in advanced countries, and would let the whole world access scientific knowledge for free. This is a win/win situation. * Support to Open Access and Open Archives would be a tremendous and practical achievement of the WSIS, generating savings in advanced countries, and allowing transition countries to access scientific knowledge crucial for a sustainable development.