Re: Linked Data and the US government shutdown

From: James Weinheimer <weinheimer.jim.l_at_nyob>
Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2013 13:16:01 +0200
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
On 10/1/2013 10:43 AM, Christoph, Pascal wrote:
<snip>
> If you had not only linked data, but linked "open" data, you are allowed to
> build up your own service with the data. Thus you have mirrors. For us, we have
> such an internal mirror of e.g. the German authority file GND and the German
> ZDB Isil authority file . Thus, in principle, there is no "single point of
> failure"[1].
>
> [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_point_of_failure
</snip>

Yes, and Jorge also makes a good point about problems in politically 
troubled areas. It seems that linked data must be associated with "open" 
and "mirrored" as you mention. Not only does it have to be open for 
general download, perusal and experimentation, it also needs to be 
mirrored and that involves money and resources. That part of linked data 
hasn't been discussed all that much, that I have seen. Also, if the data 
is not open, everything can be controlled.

So, one part of a linked data system could demand that you pay for 
access to their data. For instance, what if Google Maps started charging 
hefty prices to use their API? That would stop a tremendous number of 
projects. We just hope they don't. In library records, the less critical 
parts, e.g. comments from Amazon, book-covers from Google, ratings from 
LibraryThing, you could say, "Who cares?" but if you take away the 
headings on catalog records, you are taking away about 95% of their value.

-- 
James Weinheimer weinheimer.jim.l_at_gmail.com
First Thus http://catalogingmatters.blogspot.com/
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Received on Tue Oct 01 2013 - 07:16:33 EDT