Next message: will jones: "Re: [world-cruising] NOAA adopts open access policy for weather data"
Thanks so much for the good news !
Gratefully,
Courtney
Mike Batchelor wrote:
> It means as long as NOAA keeps this policy in place, you won't have to
> pay Accuweather or any other commercial entity for access to weather
> data US taxpayers already paid the NOAA and NWS to collect. Everyone
> gets equal access to the weather data. No one is privileged, not even
> commercial interests that think NOAA and NWS "competes" with their
> packaged products based on NOAA data.
>
> When the NOAA announced last year they were accepting comments on the
> new policy, there was an effort to "capture" the NOAA by commercial
> interests and prevent this policy from taking effect. It recalls how
> the FCC has been "captured" by commercial broadcasters, and doesn't
> really represent the public interest anymore. The NOAA has decided
> that isn't going to happen to their agency, which is good news for all
> weather watchers.
>
> On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 19:59:17 -0500, Courtney Thomas
> <> wrote:
>
>>Mike,
>>
>>I'm late to the party and ignorant, so please overlook my ineptitude.
>>
>>How does this affect me as a sailor, please ?
>>
>>Cordially,
>>Courtney
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Mike Batchelor wrote:
>>
>>
>>>The NOAA has adopted a new environmental data access policy for all
>>>the agencies under it, including the National Weather Service. Here's
>>>the new policy:
>>>
>>>http://www.nws.noaa.gov/partnershippolicy/
>>>
>>>I saw this news posted on Slashdot.org, where the geeks are claiming
>>>to have influenced the decision to adopt an open-access policy. The
>>>comments submitted in support of open-access from a Slashdot referral
>>>are indeed about 1/3 of all comments, so they may have a claim.
>>>http://weather.gov/im/fwcomments.htm Have a look at the comments,
>>>there are a whole bunch of nearly identical form letters opposing the
>>>new policy, the first of which was posted by a Director of Sale &
>>>Media for Accuweather, Inc. Accuweather, of course, would profit
>>>immensely if the data collected with public funds that their business
>>>depends on could be locked up in proprietary formats that only they
>>>were the gatekeepers for. It is nice to see government responding to
>>>the needs of the public, rather than to paid lobbyists for a change.
>>>It is ironic, I think, that the bureaucracy is often more responsive
>>>to the public than elected officials themselves.
>>>
>>>In any event, the NOAA's new policy, adopted in spite of opposition
>>>from commercial weather interests, will ensure all its data and
>>>products will me made "available in internet-accessible,
>>>vendor-neutral form and will use other dissemination technologies,
>>>e.g. satellite broadcast, NOAA Weather Radio, and wireless, as
>>>appropriate." To underscore the rationale that guided this policy
>>>decision, the new policy lists as the first principle: "Mission
>>>connection: NOAA's information services will support the NOAA mission.
>>>As a government agency, NOAA recognizes its core responsibility to
>>>protect life and property."
>>>
>>>Accuweather can launch their own satellites and setup their own sensor
>>>network if they want to charge premium fees for access to their
>>>proprietary information.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Yahoo! Groups Links
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>--
>>s/v Mutiny
>>Rhodes Bounty II
>>lying Oriental, NC
>>WDB5619
>>
>>
>>
>>Yahoo! Groups Links
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--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619
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