[open-bibliography] [pd-discuss] Free BMD and PD Calculators

Thu Oct 14 08:41:11 UTC 2010

On 10/14/10 01:38, Rufus Pollock wrote:

> 
> Just to clarify :) I'm not suggesting that it is 'wrong' that the
> FreeBMD data (or any other genealogical data) not be open. Only that:
> 

Just to clarify further, I wasn't suggesting that the current situation
isn't completely insane - dozens of people repeatedly transcribing the
same stuff  then squirreling it away in half-hidden places.. All I meant
to say was that people have got used to this mad situation, and even
find justifications for it. It would be good to have an argument that
takes on those justifications.

There is also an insidious overuse of copyright by people who should
know better - this summer I was asked to sign a form recognising an
archive's copyright over a document from 1670, when I wanted to take a
photo of it (there are several perfectly valid reasons for not allowing
photos to be made but copyright really isn't one). Many people in
genealogy, and even some archivists, have come to believe that copyright
law is something it really isn't.

> a) share-alike licenses could guard against the kind of
> 'misappropriation' by commercial concerns that Tom cites as an issue
> possibly preventing opening up of data
> 
> b) as it stands (and for reasons that may well be outside freebmd's
> control), the current freebmd data is not 'open' in the sense of
> <http://opendefinition.org/> (which doesn't mean it isn't still
> useful!)
> 

Agreed. And it would be good to come up with an approach which would
enable making a much wider ranger of genealogical data free in the full
sense.

Graham

> Rufus