Hey Rufus, congratulations on the update. As was just discussed on IRC, I think the definition of “open formats” merits some explanation, as it seems to be broad enough to encompass virtually any file format: "Specifically, data should be machine-readable, available in bulk, and provided in an open format or, at the very least, can be processed with at least one free/libre/open-source software tool.”
I can’t think of any file format where a broken parser doesn’t exist in a GitHub repo somewhere - including old favourites like Word and Excel. Therefore, this definition seems of no practical value to me as a layperson. Would it be worth elaborating on this in a blog post? Or do you have a specific ML thread people should read wrt. to this? Best regards, - Friedrich On 07 Oct 2014, at 13:28, Rufus Pollock <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi All, > > Here's the announce for the Open Definition v2.0. It is also posted on the > blog at: > > http://blog.okfn.org/2014/10/07/open-definition-v2-0-released-major-update-of-essential-standard-for-open-data-and-open-content/ > > Please do share this announce with relevant communities and organizations! > > Regards, > > Rufus > > ANN: Open Definition v2.0 Released - Major Update of Essential Standard for > Open Data and Open Content > > Today Open Knowledge and the Open Definition Advisory Council are pleased to > announce the release of version 2.0 of the Open Definition. The Definition > “sets out principles that define openness in relation to data and content” > and plays a key role in supporting the growing open data ecosystem. > > Recent years have seen an explosion in the release of open data by dozens of > governments including the G8. Recent estimates by McKinsey put the potential > benefits of open data at over $1 trillion and others estimates put benefits > at more than 1% of global GDP. > > However, these benefits are at significant risk both from quality problems > such as “open-washing” (non-open data being passed off as open) and from > fragmentation of the open data ecosystem due to incompatibility between the > growing number of “open” licenses. > > The Open Definition eliminates these risks and ensures we realize the full > benefits of open by guaranteeing quality and preventing incompatibility. See > this recent post for more about why the Open Definition is so important. > > Created in 2005, this new version of the Open Definition is the most > significant revision in the Definition’s nearly ten-year history and reflects > more than a year of discussion and consultation with the community including > input from experts involved in open data, open access, open culture, open > education, open government, and open source. As well as major revisions to > the text there is a new process for reviewing licenses which has been > trialled with major governments including the UK. > > The Open Definition was published in 2005 by Open Knowledge and is maintained > today by an expert Advisory Council. This new version of the Open Definition > is the most significant revision in the Definition’s nearly ten-year history. > > It reflects more than a year of discussion and consultation with the > community including input from experts involved in open data, open access, > open culture, open education, open government, and open source. Whilst there > are no changes to the core principles, the Definition has been completely > reworked with a new structure and revised text as well as a new process for > reviewing licenses (which has been trialled with governments including the > UK). > > Herb Lainchbury, Chair of the Open Definition Advisory Council, said: > > ‘The Open Definition describes the principles that define “openness” in > relation to data and content, and is used to assess whether a particular > licence meets that standard. A key goal of this new version is to make it > easier to assess whether the growing number of open licenses actually make > the grade. The more we can increase everyone’s confidence in their use of > open works, the more they will be able to focus on creating value with open > works.’ > > Rufus Pollock, President and Founder of Open Knowledge said: > > ‘Since we created the Open Definition in 2005 it has played a key role in the > growing open data and open content communities. It acts as the ‘gold > standard’ for open data and content guaranteeing quality and preventing > incompatibility. As a standard, the Open Definition plays a key role in > underpinning the ‘open knowledge economy’ with a potential value that runs > into the hundreds of billions - or even trillions - worldwide.’ > > What’s New > In process for more than a year, the new version was collaboratively and > openly developed with input from experts involved in open access, open > culture, open data, open education, open government, open source and wiki > communities. The new version of the definition: > > Has a complete rewrite of the core principles - preserving their meaning but > using simpler language and clarifying key aspects. > Introduces a clear separation of the definition of an open license from an > open work (with the latter depending on the former). This not only simplifies > the conceptual structure but provides a proper definition of open license and > makes it easier to “self-assess” licenses for conformance with the Open > Definition. > The definition of an Open Work within the Open Definition is now a set of > three key principles: > Open License: The work must be available under an open license (as defined in > the following section but this includes freedom to use, build on, modify and > share). > Access: The work shall be available as a whole and at no more than a > reasonable one-time reproduction cost, preferably downloadable via the > Internet without charge > Open Format: The work must be provided in a convenient and modifiable form > such that there are no unnecessary technological obstacles to the performance > of the licensed rights. Specifically, data should be machine-readable, > available in bulk, and provided in an open format or, at the very least, can > be processed with at least one free/libre/open-source software tool. > Includes improved license approval process to make it easier for license > creators to check conformance of their license with the Open Definition and > to encourage reuse of existing open licenses (rrareuse and outlines the > process for submitting a license so that it can be checked for conformance > against the Open Definition. > > More Information > For more information about the Open Definition including the updated version > visit: http://opendefinition.org/ > For background on why the Open Definition matters, read the recent article > ‘Why the Open Definition Matters’ > _______________________________________________ > okfn-discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/okfn-discuss > Unsubscribe: https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/options/okfn-discuss
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