Comments on: Digital Rights http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:12:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Dan Hanks http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/#comment-1781 Dan Hanks Tue, 10 Apr 2007 06:26:07 +0000 http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/#comment-1781 It's late, I'm grumpy (just finished my taxes, phew...) so whoever reads this, apply the usual grain of salt :-). I suppose this person has issues with Google and other search engines slurping down his data too. In my book, if you don't want others taking it, don't put it online (or at least password-protect it, turn the API off, whatever). That kind of response just rubs me the wrong way. Genealogy is all about sharing information. About disseminating the truth about our family history as we discover it. Now if someone were going to slurp down his data to republish it as their own research, then yes, there's a problem with that. But someone slurping down the data to potentially connect this person's data with their own, using a sophisticated tool such as you're developing, that's exactly what putting genealogical data on the Internet is for--establishing contact with other researchers interested in the same lines. It’s late, I’m grumpy (just finished my taxes, phew…) so whoever reads this, apply the usual grain of salt :-).

I suppose this person has issues with Google and other search engines slurping down his data too. In my book, if you don’t want others taking it, don’t put it online (or at least password-protect it, turn the API off, whatever).

That kind of response just rubs me the wrong way. Genealogy is all about sharing information. About disseminating the truth about our family history as we discover it. Now if someone were going to slurp down his data to republish it as their own research, then yes, there’s a problem with that. But someone slurping down the data to potentially connect this person’s data with their own, using a sophisticated tool such as you’re developing, that’s exactly what putting genealogical data on the Internet is for–establishing contact with other researchers interested in the same lines.

]]> By: Bob Coret http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/#comment-1783 Bob Coret Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:49:01 +0000 http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/#comment-1783 I agree largely with Dan. But... people don't like it when they see there work appearing on other sites without good source citatations, attribution or just a simple thank you. People might think the PVGAgent is just another simple way to copy all. Most people won't even know about the PVGAgent and the webservice in phpGedView! And, the distinction in presentation layer won't be understood by all. What to do? Clearly communicate what the purpose of the PVGAgent is, make it feel good, take away possible fears. Maybe even, tell people how the can "opt-out"... Secondly I think we have to educate people how to make good use of information from others, obtained via website, Genenis, of other means. I always advise people to: - give attribution, document (and publish) the source of genealogical data! - ask the author permission to use data, usually the author doesn't mind, and usually the contact leads to more exhange! - only use the data once you have checked in at the source (the archive)! To highlight the above I have even 'disabled' the right mouse button on http://www.genealogieonline.nl/ A user is presented with a sort of copyright notice and the advice stated above. This won't stop "bad people" to just copy the data, so everybody should be aware of this, but it is just another moment for me to "educate". I agree largely with Dan. But… people don’t like it when they see there work appearing on other sites without good source citatations, attribution or just a simple thank you. People might think the PVGAgent is just another simple way to copy all. Most people won’t even know about the PVGAgent and the webservice in phpGedView! And, the distinction in presentation layer won’t be understood by all.

What to do?

Clearly communicate what the purpose of the PVGAgent is, make it feel good, take away possible fears. Maybe even, tell people how the can “opt-out”…

Secondly I think we have to educate people how to make good use of information from others, obtained via website, Genenis, of other means. I always advise people to:
- give attribution, document (and publish) the source of genealogical data!
- ask the author permission to use data, usually the author doesn’t mind, and usually the contact leads to more exhange!
- only use the data once you have checked in at the source (the archive)!

To highlight the above I have even ‘disabled’ the right mouse button on http://www.genealogieonline.nl/ A user is presented with a sort of copyright notice and the advice stated above. This won’t stop “bad people” to just copy the data, so everybody should be aware of this, but it is just another moment for me to “educate”.

]]> By: Hilton http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/#comment-1787 Hilton Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:31:55 +0000 http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/#comment-1787 I suppose it will help when source information is more prominent in the user interface. Then I can emphasize the fact in the PGVAgent description. I'm just pleased to learn that I'm not <i>too</i> far off base. I suppose it will help when source information is more prominent in the user interface. Then I can emphasize the fact in the PGVAgent description. I’m just pleased to learn that I’m not too far off base.

]]> By: Thad Guidry http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/#comment-1932 Thad Guidry Sat, 21 Apr 2007 22:29:12 +0000 http://www.dftproject.org/blog/2007/04/09/digital-rights/#comment-1932 I agree. It is the website owners' responsibility to take precautions and care to withhold that information which he sees as his own research. (Although it was his ancestors first!) Hilton, it's about education. Let this user know that he can turn off the API on his site. Give the right tools in PGV to make sure that it is not leaking out anything that the site owner doesn't want. That will suffice for the masses. Then just ignore all the rest of us. ;) I agree. It is the website owners’ responsibility to take precautions and care to withhold that information which he sees as his own research. (Although it was his ancestors first!) Hilton, it’s about education. Let this user know that he can turn off the API on his site. Give the right tools in PGV to make sure that it is not leaking out anything that the site owner doesn’t want. That will suffice for the masses. Then just ignore all the rest of us. ;)

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