[open-science] [SCHOLCOMM] Libre open access, copyright, patent law, and, other intellectual property matters

Wed Mar 21 17:28:30 UTC 2012

On Mar 21, 2012, at 12:19 PM, Paola Di Maio wrote:

> Puneet
> 
> only partially following this thread however,
> your reasoning is acceptable only if the open data set can
> be meaningfully queried when published, and it is publishing using a logic
> designed to deliver value
> 
> If the open data is dumped in a messy state on the web, nobody can get any
> value from it, without being a programmer or knowing what to do with it or
> without paying for a third party to make sense of it
> 
> 
> 
>> 3. And, finally, the original is still available for free for anyone to
>> use, so no one has been cordoned off from anything.
>> 
> 
> Not if the original is 'not usable'  in the first place, (lots of issues to
> drill around usability of data) without technical skills, and if the only
> usability can be derived from the paying for a third party service -

I can’t tell if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me, and if so, with which point. 

If my original data weren't usable, and you took it, cleaned it up, and offered it for a price, I would be doubly stupid to stop you from doing that. If I were smart, I would get inspired by your work and either entice you to join me, or try to make my original data even better so folks would continue to come to my source. 

And, if my original data were usable to begin with, you would have to offer some *really* good added value for someone to pony up money for your version.

Competition is good for everyone, even for those offering stuff for free.

> 
> 
> 
> PDM
> 
>> 
>> This myth was possibly what caused OpenStreetMaps to create its original
>> restrictive licensing that they are now trying to shed.
>> 
>> It happens all the time -- we get religion, and we start wanting others to
>> do as we do, little realizing that we end up being no different from those
>> we don't want to be like. It is all the more galling for us in higher
>> research who are most always paid a rather comfortable salary and expenses
>> anyway for our work.
>> 
>> Which is why I decided to go with nothing
>> 
>> http://punkish.org/Freedom-Is-Just-Another-Word-When-Youve-Nothing-Left-to-Choose
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Puneet Kishor