[sc-announce] Ensuring the freedom to integrate — why we need an “open data” protocol - Science Commons blog

Donna Wentworth dwentworth at creativecommons.org
Thu Dec 20 09:52:43 EST 2007


Ensuring the freedom to integrate — why we need an "open data" protocol

December 20th, 2007<http://sciencecommons.org/weblog/archives/2007/12/20/ensuring-the-freedom-to-integrate/>by
dwentworth

It's only been a few days since we
announced<http://sciencecommons.org/weblog/archives/2007/12/16/announcing-protocol-for-oa-data/>the
release of the Protocol
for Implementing Open Access
Data<http://sciencecommons.org/projects/publishing/open-access-data-protocol/>,
and we're thrilled to see so many people posting responses. The protocol is
a guide for people and organizations that want to "mark" their scientific
data as open — free to use without restrictions. It was developed
collaboratively — an inspiring sign of the momentum that's been building
behind developing common ways to open and integrate scientific databases
around the world.

One of the great things about being part of the open science community is
that we can work together to help more people understand why the "freedom to
integrate" matters. Here are a few excerpts from excellent posts that do
just that:

Richard Wallis @
Talis<http://blogs.talis.com/panlibus/archives/2007/12/creative_common_1.php>,
on the problem the protocol aims to solve: "There is plenty of data out
there, but it is often trapped in silos or hidden behind logins,
subscriptions, or just plain difficult to get hold of. There again you can
also find some data 'just out-there' — **can I use it, whose is it, will it
stay there, will I be sued for using it, if I start depending on it, will I
suddenly have to start paying** — all questions that come to mind."

Eric Kansa <http://www.alexandriaarchive.org/blog/?p=85>, Society for
American Archaeology, Digital Data Interest Group (DDIG), on the legal
issues: "Data sources are…highly global, and therefore subject to all sorts
of legal jurisdictions and rules…The solution that Science Commons advocates
is to essentially move all open science data repositories to a common legal
baseline, which is basically the public domain. [Following the protocol,
scientific] data repositories that want to be 'open' [could] shape their
terms of use, copyright, and other policies so their content is essentially
public domain and freely remixable with other resources…Comment: Wow!"

Glyn Moody<http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2007/12/open-access-data-question-of-protocol.html>,
UK journalist and author, on the real-world implications: "The solution is
at once obvious and radical…It is this pragmatism, rooted in how science
actually works, that makes the current protocol particularly important: It
might actually be useful."

Deepak Singh<http://mndoci.com/blog/2007/12/16/protocol-for-implementing-open-access-data/>,
co-founder of Bioscreencast <http://bioscreencast.com/index.html>, on what
the protocol could mean for science: "I consider just the announcement to be
a monumental moment. Will it change how scientific information is shared and
disseminated? I don't know. But my hope has always been that Science Commons
would lead the way."

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read the protocol, ask
questions and help spread the word. For those of you who would like to learn
more about the origins of the protocol and the two new licenses that
represent its first implementations — the ODC
PDDL<http://www.opendatacommons.org/odc-public-domain-dedication-and-licence/>and
CC
Zero <http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Cczero> — here are a few additonal
links you might want to check out:

   - Open Data Commons
FAQ<http://www.opendatacommons.org/open-data-commons-faq/>and
Community
   Norms <http://www.opendatacommons.org/odc-community-norms/>
   - Talis media
release<http://www.talis.com/platform/news_and_events/index.shtml#no054>
   - Creative Commons media
release<http://creativecommons.org/press-releases/entry/7919>
   - Peter Suber's round-up and
comments<http://www.earlham.edu/%7Epeters/fos/2007/12/science-commons-protocol-for-open-data.html>@
Open Access News


................
Donna Wentworth
Communications Specialist
Science Commons
http://sciencecommons.org
dwentworth at creativecommons.org <kaitlin at creativecommons.org>
................
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