On Tue, 29 Jun 2010, Mike Kmiec wrote:
>>>> john g marr <jmarr_at_UNM.EDU> 29/06/2010 10:04 a.m. >>>
>>> On Mon, 28 Jun 2010, Stephen Paling wrote:
>>> Conduct Basic Research.
>
>> See above.
>
> If you're talking about the cost of user research ...
No, I was talking about your comments re. questioning "someone in our
field [asserting] that they have improved something" in relation to the
ramifications of commercializing such "improvements." I agree that we
should indeed question such remarks, but in fact we [libraries] should be
collaboratively designing such systems as nonprofit entities to avoid the
deceit inherent in commercialization in the first place. We would then be
asking such questions routinely as part of the research process.
> Or you get something like this:
> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/google-twitter-go-to-bat-for-website/article1612909/
> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/globe-on-technology/were-suing-everybody-on-twitter/article1613285/
Yes, those are problematic, facing up to the idea of questioning whether
it is appropriate to commercialize all information. we should all be
worried about that. The problem I brought up is more specific, i.e.
whether legal data (e.g. transcripts from open courts and decisions
determining case law) should be commercialized or made openly available,
particularly when that commercialization can be demonstrated to have made
professional access inefficient at best, although itself required by law
(e.g., judges may be required to "know the applicable law" in cases,
despite lawyer malpractice on the same). This issue is central to
librarianship since we are stewards of information effecting the society
and the legal system is central to our society's basic structure and
functioning.
jgm
John G. Marr
Cataloger
CDS, UL
Univ. of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
jmarr_at_unm.edu
jmarr_at_flash.net
**There are only 2 kinds of thinking: "out of the box" and "outside
the box."
Opinions belong exclusively to the individuals expressing them, but
sharing is permitted.
Received on Mon Jun 28 2010 - 21:12:41 EDT