PCAST will hold its inaugural meeting on August 6-7, 2009. During this meeting, PCAST will discuss possible studies it might undertake.

If you are interested in either observing the PCAST meeting, or making a comment (5 minutes or less) to PCAST at its meeting, please email pcast@ostp.gov. If attending the meeting, please indicate if you are planning to attend August 6, August 7, or both days. You are welcome to send written comments to PCAST at any time.

I know many of you are stakeholders, CEOs and executives of companies and leaders and contributors to software projects, but you don't have to be: the general public can contribute also. I'd so dearly love to go and speak about FOSS, but I don't feel it would be wise, due to the death threat situation, but you can go and represent yourself. And it will be streamed. There is even an opportunity to send written comments at any time. I'll give you the details in a moment, but if you've ever complained that the government is clueless about tech and FOSS, this is your opportunity to contribute in a positive way.

The fact that Groklaw was sent the notice is, to me, a sign that the White House is not clueless about tech or FOSS, by the way. And I noticed when I visited their web site that anyone can send written materials for them to consider also. Is this something Groklaw as a group would like to do? I'll leave it to you. If so, we could work right here, in public, as we did when we wrote a group letter to SCO. I believe this is what they call an educational moment.

To do a written letter, we'd need to come up with topics. To do that meaningfully, you'd need to carefully read everything on the site, then attend at least the streamed event, and then we can decide what topics we'd like to write about, and what we feel would be useful and effective to say.

But you are free to do the same thing as an individual or as a company or a project. Of course, you can't represent Groklaw.

There are some directions on how to participate, should you wish to. Here's the web site about the event, where the details on the agenda will be posted and where you go to watch the streamed event. Note that Friday is going to be crowded, so register quickly if you wish to go, no later than 3 PM August 5 in any case. It's first come, first served. Here's the agenda [PDF] or you can read it in the Federal Register [PDF]. Notice this part:

There will be time allocated for the public to comment on the above agenda items in afternoon of August 6, 2009. This public comment period is designed for substantive commentary on PCAST's work topics, not for business marketing purposes.

Members of the public wishing to reserve speaking time must contact Dr. Deborah D. Stine, PCAST Executive Director, at dstine at ostop.eop.gov, [PJ: phone and fax provided in PDF], at least five (5) business days in advance of the meeting.

Written comments are also welcome at any time before or following the meeting. Written comments received at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting will be made available to the members before their meeting. Written comments received after that point may not be reviewed by the members until after the meeting takes place.

You can read some of the reports already posted here. President Barack Obama said this about PCAST, as posted on the PCAST site:

"This council represents leaders from many scientific disciplines who will bring a diversity of experience and views," President Barack Obama said. “I will charge PCAST with advising me about national strategies to nurture and sustain a culture of scientific innovation."