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

Wed Jul 15 18:08:45 UTC 2009

Rufus Pollock wrote:
>  * What do you think the Open Knowledge Foundation is?

An attempt to increase "User Freedom" for data similar (in my opinion
identical) to the FSF's goal to increase "User Freedom" for code.

>  * What do you think it should be doing?

There is no reason to treat data separately from code.  Whether it be
Genetic-info (DNA), Music, Video, software, CAD-files, indigenous
knowledge, techniques and information about how to accomplish any
thing, etc. it is all the 'design' part of nature.

The GNU GPL tries to "lock-open" copyrightable design.  This works for
code or data - it is the same.  The 'source' of a movie is the
original, uncompressed data that is needed to make *quality* changes
to that design.

But the GNU GPL does not, and cannot go far enough because it is only
addressing the 'design' half of reality.

The GNU AGPL tries to poke the material sphere by legislating source
be delivered even when a design is being 'expressed' on resources the
user does not own and then being made available in a 'remote' fashion
to that user.

>  * What impact should it be having?

The most potent direction we could travel (and this is the same
message I have for the FSF) is to realize "User Freedom" can and must
be insured for the 'material' or 'physical' components that are
required to "host" any and all designs.

Licensing that "locks-open" a design is good and needed, but it can
only go so far because all design requires space, mass and energy for
storage and 'expression'.

The next step is to devise a "Terms of Operation" or a legally binding
Contract that groups of users can choose to apply to some "Physical
Sources" they will then use to "host" things such as email, video,
audio, home-pages, wikis, etc. ... and even the far more important
goals of housing, plants and animals for food and medicine production,
factories, mines, ... ANY and ALL material Means of Production.

We can and must learn how to share Physical Sources and begin ignoring
the for-profit corporations that want to withhold our freedom through
artificial scarcity and purposeful destruction of our otherwise
natural inheritance.

Sincerely,
Patrick Anderson