[okfn-discuss] Taking the Open Service Definition to 1.0

Fri Jul 11 14:44:51 UTC 2008

On Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 2:21 PM, Benj. Mako Hill <mako at atdot.cc> wrote:

> If you ask to use my computer for 5 minutes,
> it seems potentially onerous -- and unreasonable -- that we treat this the same as
> distribution or online use.

This makes some sense, but I'm having trouble understanding where the
lines should be drawn.

What if I used your computer for 5 minutes *over a network*?

Let's say you have OpenOffice installed on your machine, and I just
want to use it to do a quick edit on a .doc file.

If I use some "remote control" software (even just X) to connect and
do that work, what should we require for that session to be considered
'open'?

What if the session lasts 1 hour?

What if I connect every day for 30 days?

When does the situation turn from 'personal' to 'public'?

> I can't see how distributing source code and data for the people most
> affected by these systems would help either user or developer freedom.

Well, let's say you are playing a video game at "Cafe Open".

You notice some things that bug you, and want to try your hand at fixing them.

If you are allowed "at cost" access to the sources (both code and
data), you might improve it to the benefit of the whole community.  If
not, then that work will not be performed.

Of course, you might be a terrible artisan, or be trying to cause
trouble, so those edits would need to be approved by the collective
owners of the hardware hosting that game, but I think you should have
"at cost" access the sources required for that production to at least
TRY.

Because of the value in allowing source access, I would also like to
make other machines available for "at cost" rental that are already
setup with development with tools like text editors, compilers,
debuggers for source, and 3D modeling, audio editors, image editors,
etc. for data.  So that any patron that wanted to help out would not
be closed out.

Sincerely,
Patrick