[okfn-discuss] Our vision: Why, How and What for the Open Knowledge Foundation

[Rob Myers]

On 14/07/09 14:08, Rufus Pollock wrote:
> 
>   * What do you think the Open Knowledge Foundation is?

It's an advocacy organization for the liberty of individuals to access
and exploit information, data and facts of historical, practical or
academic importance and materials that support these resources. This
advocacy can be practical and material (KnowledgeForge) or media based
and philosophical (position statements, comments on debates, e.g. on
database copyright or OSM's licence).

I think OKF's unique selling potential is the data sets that it provides
and creates tools for and helps to keep free. That's what differentiates
it from Science Commons or the open access movement. I've also been
impressed by OKF's measured, minimal but persuasive intervention in
legal and philosophical issues such as OpenStreetMap's licencing
troubles. OKF really is an authority on these issues.

>   * What do you think it should be doing?

More of the same, but with a clear statement of *why* it is doing it
and, because people always complain about this for any project, an even
more transparent organizational structure.

OKF's balance of ideological and practical projects is great, on par
with the FSF or Wikimedia. I think this is precisely what OKF should be
doing.

Possibly OKF can learn from FlossManuals' "sprints" and from CC &
Science Commons's corporate partnerships for tools and impleemntation of
protocols, but these would be ways of extending current successes rather
than any kind of replacement.

>   * What impact should it be having?

The practical impact OKF has had is great, it can be extended, and it
needs more recognition. People should be using OKF's tools and arguments
when dealing with datasets and open access materials and they should
*know* that they are doing so.

- Rob.

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