Open Licensing and Open Data
PICNIC, 2011-09-15
Rufus Pollock
@rufuspollock[.org]
The Open Knowledge Foundation
Community-based not-for-profit founded in 2004
The Foundation now has projects and partnerships throughout the world and is especially active in Europe.
We build tools and communities to create, use and share open knowledge - content and data that everyone can use, share and build on.
Interest in Open Data is Growing (Rapidly)
Open Government Initiatives Around the World
2.5y ago ~ 0. Now UK, US, Finland, Norway, Poland, Netherlands, ...
Important to be Clear About Openness
2 Key Aspects
Legal Openness
Technical Openness
"A piece of content or data is open if anyone is free to use, reuse and redistribute it - subject only, at most, to a requirement to attribute or share-alike."
Technical Openness
Raw, Machine-readable and an Open Format
Why Does It Matter?
Why Do We Need a Definition?
Openness, Compatibility and Scaling
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|
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| We're Weaving Data Together |
To Scale We Need to Componentize |
But We Need to Put Humpty-Dumpty Together Again - Not Possible if licenses aren't compatible |
Compatibility is Key
The Open Definition provides a Standard to Ensure Compatibility
Open Data Commons
Open Data Licenses and Norms
Need for Open Licenses for Data
– Data differs from 'content'
Different IP rights involved
Distinction between 'Contents' and the 'Database' etc
Issues
Open is an Attractive Word
Growing Number of Licenses that Claim to Be Open
Concerns re Compatability
UK Open Government License
Deviation from a Standard
leads to
Fracturing of the Commons
Conclusion
Compatability (and the Standard) are what Really Matter
Does not matter if different licenses if compatible
As Open Data Grows
Will Need to Work Hard to Ensure Compatibility
Thank-You
Rufus Pollock
rufus.pollock [at] okfn [dot] org
@rufuspollock[.org]
License and Credits
License
Creative Commons Attribution License v3.0 (all jurisdictions)
Credits
lego.jpg: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oskay/265899811/
humpty_dumpty.jpg: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/298669543/
woven_ball.jpg: http://www.flickr.com/photos/exfordy/387876530/sizes/s/
