[pdb-discuss] Brief update from iSummit

[Rufus Pollock]

Tom Chance wrote:
> Ahoy,
> 
> The talk went down well, people were impressed and interested in what we were 
> doing. Everyone was talking about open content and PD registries, and I heard 
> about lots of other PD digitisation projects, specifically in the 
> Netherlands, Canada, Chile, Italy and Australia.
> 
> Some thoughts that I took away:
> 
> 1. We should talk to these other projects more about collaboration. For 
> example an ideal end point would be a global registry (people and works with 
> files) with localised (to jurisdiction) frontends (PD or not PD). It would be 
> silly to duplicate work if it's practical to avoid doing so. The 
> collaboration could be anything from documenting our work to sharing 
> codebases to sharing the registry database to applying for funding together. 

I cannot agree more. This was one of the things that was discussed with 
Mia Garlick in relation to the cc-canada project (see email to list 
2006-05-23). In terms of sharing data the fundamental thing is to ensure 
any data that is created is openly licensed.

> It would make a lot of sense to at least create a hub (wiki page and/or 
> mailing list) through iCommons so people doing public domain projects can 
> keep in touch and discuss this further.

This is a great idea. Are you happy to be the contact with iCommons on 
this and arrange a mailing list to be set up. There is already a very 
incomplete listing of existing projects on:

http://www.freeculture.org.uk/PublicDomainBurn/WorkPlan

(this should probably be somewhere else)

> 2. Our wiki is already serving as a very nice documentation resource, ala "how 
> does one set-up a PD digitisation project?" so we should keep that work up.

Good to hear.

> 3. It sold best when I strongly linked PD Burn, Open Shakespeare and the 
> possible history project together. You get four complementary aims that way:
> - a registry for determining PD status
> - copies of works
> - tools to make innovative use of works
> - a huge demonstration of the value of the PD
> 
> 4. Following on from 1 and 3, the value of the projects making use of the PD 
> is that they provide a localised or indigenous or whathaveyou angle on an 
> otherwise homogenising global PD. There's no harm in a global registry, but 
> there's great value in celebrating the strength and diversity of works 
> originally created in the UK, for example.

This is one of the nice things about having making sure data is open. It 
means that any given project can focus on the issues and works of most 
direct concern while ensuring that this work can be shared, reused, 
incorporated into a global registry etc.

> That's about it, I think. The main thing right now, aside from the great 
> ongoing work, is to act on item 1.

Given your experience at iCommons are you happy to take this task on and 
be our primary liason with other projects?

Regards,

Rufus