[Go-essp-tech] BioTorrents
Steve Hankin
Steven.C.Hankin at noaa.gov
Wed Apr 21 15:22:01 MDT 2010
2 philosophical cents (well, really a rant, I'll admit):
A remarkable number of the best, easiest, and most powerful ideas are
pushed off of our table by a perceived requirement that access to data
be restricted. Elements of this are inevitable. Still I believe that
we should find much better ways as a data technology community
(including our own ESG project) to allow the superior technology options
that become available through open access to shine.
At the org-chart level there is a broken system of checks-and-balances.
The requirements for restricted access are imposed down the line in the
org chart, without any mechanism for push-back -- for explaining to
those who impose the restrictions what unintended price is being paid by
doing so. While the org chart relationships tie our hands, the Web as a
visible showcase for good ideas can provide the missing force of
balance. We are seeing just this as we weigh BioTorrents against our
own solutions.
I wonder if we shouldn't be promoting the (superior) technologies that
become available with open access in parallel with the (costly and
permanently slower to evolve) secure federated approaches. Clearly
access-restricted datasets could not be hosted on the open systems. But
that absence would be precisely the loss that makes the technology cost
of restricted access visible. Building dual-access systems would be an
imperfect solution to an imperfect social equation. But it would allow
us to contribute to long-term improvements in dysfunctional policies at
the same time that we explore (fun) new technologies.
- Steve
=========================================
Alex Sim wrote:
> If we can resolve authorization aspects on the datasets with torrents,
> we can probably support torrents technology in the future. all data
> access is open in this torrents and most others too.
>
> -- Alex
>
>
> On 4/20/10 8:40 AM, V. Balaji wrote:
>
>> http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0010071
>>
>> It's a great pity we aren't using torrent technology in our field...
>>
>>
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--
Steve Hankin, NOAA/PMEL -- Steven.C.Hankin at noaa.gov
7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115-0070
ph. (206) 526-6080, FAX (206) 526-6744
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men
to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke
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