2018-05-16T11:29:25-0300 Adonay Felipe Nogueira wrote: > However --- taking the same hook I used in a 20min talk I gave about > free/libre software movement in May 12th on a city nearby --- functional > data has some features that distinguish it from other digital goods: > > a) sequence of orders executed blindly by the computer (applies only to > scripted elements); > > b) written by someone else (also applies to non-functional data, but > read on); > > c) one can use it without the corresponding source (id.); > > d) for practical use (in the sense that given data can by itself > misbehave); > > e) modifies local culture (the absense of the data might impact how > people perceive my work because they are already expecting me to use > and depend on that data). This is particularly seen with text fonts > and color profiles. > > These characteristics *aggravate* the need for these goods to be > free/libre first, in contrast to non-functional ones. > > In my presentation, after talking about (e), I also reminded people > about (b) again, precisely because --- taking the example of software > ---, while in the case of cement you (or someone hired by you) can > easily break, redo, append to and provide services based on it, software > isn't that way, once you lose the source files and the rights to do such > things, you lose control of your own material environment, your > capability.
Addendum: I can also think of a [initially non-functional] work that has the same characteristics as the above: scientific research (and the publications that resulted from that).
