[open-bibliography] Sharing bibliographic user data

[Ben O'Steen]

I think what you are asking about is not sharing data, but creating a
set of the data and sharing that as a separate resource (like a zip file
of csv or rdf)

For example, given an API in which usage data can be retrieved in real
time, many will just 'copy-by-reference' - pulling in the data on demand
and so reflect the data as it is at any given moment.

If you release a snapshot of data (to help lower API load) then you can
remind the reusers to respect that the data has a best-before-date,
especially for things like labels, lists and tags and to remain as in
sync as practical.

If your users will be upset with the perceived lack of control
downstream, then perhaps you cannot freely share the data? Perhaps a
survey or a mailshot to all your users illustrating what you would like
to do may help find out exactly how they may react?

Ben


On Thu, 2010-11-04 at 10:57 -0400, Tim Spalding wrote:
> Thanks for the reply. I broadly agree. Let me put part of my question
> in concrete terms.
> 
> 1. Most users on LibraryThing make their tags and reviews public.
> 2. LibraryThing exposes their tags on library catalogs (our
> LibraryThing for Libraries product). Users don't object to this. (If
> they do, they can opt out on the reviews side.)
> 3. BUT users know that the data is coming from LibraryThing. If they
> change their review, it will soon change on the libraries too. If they
> removed it, it would get removed.
> 4. I believe that if LibraryThing merely released the data, with no
> obligation to refresh it, people would be VERY upset.
> 
> See? The problem isn't openness. It's respect for the user. Users are
> happy with their data going other places, but they still think of it
> as theirs, and want to make sure they can change or remove it.
> 
> How is that solved, in an open context?
> 
> Tim
> 
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