[okfn-discuss] Ben Goldacre on open data.

Thu Jul 1 16:54:06 UTC 2010

On 1 July 2010 09:18, David Jones <david.jones at okfn.org> wrote:
> Just read Ben Goldacre's post:
> http://www.badscience.net/2010/06/nullius-in-verba-in-verba-nullius/
>
> His article was about the analysis he was, or was not, able to do as a
> result of AAA mortality data being published.
>
> He concludes: "Open data – people posting their data freely for all to
> re-analyse – is the big hip new zeitgeist, and a vitally important new
> idea. But I was surprised to find that the thing I’ve advocated for
> wasn’t enough: open data is sometimes no use unless we also have open
> methods."

All too true (though note I would normally imagine open data, or at
least decent open data, include a proper README -- and that README
could be the relevant code that computed data).

> I think it's worth asking him if you can republish his article on the okfn blog.

Indeed. Would you be up for sending him an email on the OKF blog's behalf :)

Rufus