Open Source for America

[Michael Hardner]

In covering Government 2.0 issues here, and on my blog, I have indicated that public pressure could force government to be more open and responsive. An organization called OFSA - Open Source for America - has pledged to do some of the groundwork for this, in the form of metrics on the level of government openness across US departments.

This report is due to be delivered in Q3 this year, which indicates that the various tech giants involved (Google, for example) are doing their part to make this happen. We should do our part to look closely at the results, in the US and Canada, and demand that government report themselves to us - their stakeholders.

Washington, D.C. – June 8, 2010 – Open Source for America (OSFA), an organization of technology industry leaders, non-government associations and academic and research institutions promoting the use of open source technologies in the U.S. Federal government, announced today its sponsorship of a study to measure openness in government. The study, which is scheduled to be released in Q3FY2010, will gauge openness and transparency across federal agencies and will culminate in a report card assigning a grade to each federal agency based on its public transparency, participation and collaboration. Visit OpenSourceforAmerica.org for more information about the study and the organization.

OFSA Site

[bush_cheney2004]

Why is this a media or broadcasting issue? How are the OSFA's stated goals applicable to Canada?

[Michael Hardner]

Let's see - America leads in this field, so we look to the leader to help us with our issues.

And web is a medium, sometimes specifically referred to in the plural as 'new media'.

[eyeball]

Why is this a media or broadcasting issue? How are the OSFA's stated goals applicable to Canada?

Fighting government corruption is a laudable applicable goal in every country.

But I agree this is the wrong forum. This topic best belongs in the Moral & Ethical Issues and assuming we can ever deal with the fundamental human problems associated with official opacity it might one day advance to the Political Philosophy forum.

[bush_cheney2004]

Let's see - America leads in this field, so we look to the leader to help us with our issues.

Really? Do you think the OSFA is spending resources on Canada, or is this just wishful thinking? Are you sure there is no equivalent organization at work in Canada or other nations? Why do you think America "leads in this field"?

And web is a medium, sometimes specifically referred to in the plural as 'new media'.

That's fine, but the OSFA has a very specific agenda for open source tools in government, not media in general.

[Michael Hardner]

Really? Do you think the OSFA is spending resources on Canada, or is this just wishful thinking? Are you sure there is no equivalent organization at work in Canada or other nations? Why do you think America "leads in this field"?

Your question is a non-sequitur from my response.

There isn't really anything quite this advanced in Canada, no, which is an example of why America leads in this field.

That's fine, but the OSFA has a very specific agenda for open source tools in government, not media in general.

Media, as discussed on this board, tends to relate to politics which includes the machine of government. It doesn't just mean television, radio, newspapers etc.

I will refrain, though, from using McLuhan's definition about media including all 'extensions of man'.

[bush_cheney2004]

Your question is a non-sequitur from my response.

Your response was not consistent with the stated goal of the OSFA.

There isn't really anything quite this advanced in Canada, no, which is an example of why America leads in this field.

So you have limited your assessment to these two nations?

Media, as discussed on this board, tends to relate to politics which includes the machine of government. It doesn't just mean television, radio, newspapers etc.

Don't confuse media with content. The OSFA wants open source tools to be used by government irrespective of the content or limitations to access.

[Michael Hardner]

So you have limited your assessment to these two nations?

No, I'm always reading about other countries but the US is the most advanced in this field

Don't confuse media with content. The OSFA wants open source tools to be used by government irrespective of the content or limitations to access.

I'm not sure I understand: we're in the early stages so I don't see any differentiation between 'tools' and 'content', nor do I see why they shouldn't be covered under 'media' here.

[bush_cheney2004]

No, I'm always reading about other countries but the US is the most advanced in this field

..in your opinion.

I'm not sure I understand: we're in the early stages so I don't see any differentiation between 'tools' and 'content', nor do I see why they shouldn't be covered under 'media' here.

Do you know what "open source" means when it comes to authoring tools, middleware, database, browser, web services, ect.?

[Michael Hardner]

..in your opinion.

Not sure how you would measure such things. Perhaps coverage in the media, but that is probably flawed.

Do you know what "open source" means when it comes to authoring tools, middleware, database, browser, web services, ect.?

I think so - they publish the code for individuals to work on - as happened with the original Mozilla browser, Linux and so on.

As such, 'open government' isn't really the same thing. We're talking about government being generally more open, and free with their data.

[bush_cheney2004]

Not sure how you would measure such things. Perhaps coverage in the media, but that is probably flawed.

Precisely...you are making an assumption vis-a-vis the United States' "leadership".

I think so - they publish the code for individuals to work on - as happened with the original Mozilla browser, Linux and so on.

Sort of....OSFA wants to have government use open source tools instead of proprietary platforms. This is problematic for several resons.

As such, 'open government' isn't really the same thing. We're talking about government being generally more open, and free with their data.

Which is why there must be a differentiation between media methods and content. OSFA is "voluntering" because it fits their open source tools agenda.

Edited June 21, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[Michael Hardner]

Precisely...you are making an assumption vis-a-vis the United States' "leadership".

Not an assumption, but forming an opinion based on what I read, and what I have posted here. These include strong directives made by the administration to push for open data from government agencies, web community groups that promote the idea of open government data and allow for people to share examples on how/where it is practiced, and the recent group - including large and well-known companies such as Google that are seeking to track how governments are doing with open data initiatives.

I have tracked a few groups in Canada, but there's nothing close to that that I have found here.

Sort of....OSFA wants to have government use open source tools instead of proprietary platforms. This is problematic for several resons.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.... FAIL. On me.

Which is there must be a differentiation from media methods and content. OSFA is "voluntering" because it fits their open source tools agenda.

Yeah, I didn't get that at all. I picked this up from a Gov 2.0 news group and misread the link.

My fail.

[bush_cheney2004]

Not an assumption, but forming an opinion based on what I read, and what I have posted here. These include strong directives made by the administration to push for open data from government agencies, web community groups that promote the idea of open government data and allow for people to share examples on how/where it is practiced,

"Open" government data is not without problems for security and data privacy, which leads right back to necessary barriers to access. Other public data are not available to the general public without a legal reason.

and the recent group - including large and well-known companies such as Google that are seeking to track how governments are doing with open data initiatives.

Google has a very cozy relationship with government that, in general, promotes both interests in harvesting / mining data for a myriad of purposes.

I have tracked a few groups in Canada, but there's nothing close to that that I have found here.

Still... n = 2

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.... FAIL. On me.

Yeah, I didn't get that at all. I picked this up from a Gov 2.0 news group and misread the link.

My fail.

Not so much a FAIL as well intentioned naivete. Software vendors and service providers will fight hard to preserve their very lucrative government contracts, not unlike the fierce way in which Thomson Reuters defended it's West Law indexing system for American case law.

Adoption of government standards for authoring and accessing content can be developed independent of proprietary tools, but it won't be easy.

[Michael Hardner]

"Open" government data is not without problems for security and data privacy, which leads right back to necessary barriers to access. Other public data are not available to the general public without a legal reason.

The cases I have been looking in to on here are aggregate performance stats that are kept secret by butt-covering bureaucrats, to call it as I see it.

Still... n = 2

n=3. Italy.

Not so much a FAIL as well intentioned naivete. Software vendors and service providers will fight hard to preserve their very lucrative government contracts, not unlike the fierce way in which Thomson Reuters defended it's West Law indexing system for American case law.

Adoption of government standards for authoring and accessing content can be developed independent of proprietary tools, but it won't be easy.

Nope, fail. This isn't a topic I'm interested in and a more careful reading would have turned out that they were talking about software, not the data. A couple of keywords off, I was.