... So what is open access to raw data and who really cares? ...
A very good analogy is that of a research paper. When one sets out to write a detailed research paper, a first step is to collect information. ... Once this information gathering phase is finished, the writer has a formidable amount of raw data. Yet, as mentioned above, this raw data is not particularly useful. If the writer were to simply submit all of these separate pieces of information to the publisher/teacher/newspaper the paper would clearly be rejected. The reason: raw data needs to be linked in meaningful ways.
This is where the second part of the writing process comes into play, actually writing. The author takes all of the raw data that was collected and he or she sets out to tie it all together into a meaningful piece of literature. ...
To the point, raw data is the essential first step in the process of presenting information in meaningful and helpful ways. Thus, even though most web users do not seem to care about raw data, in reality, they actually care a great deal. Content providers need to put their raw data online in a way that is accessible to developers so that they can do their job creating applications that make the data useful for the rest of the world. ...
Posted by
Gavin Baker at 6/03/2009 11:00:00 PM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
