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sygh
1st January 2011, 16:21
While researching the Rockefeller Brother's Fund (RBF), I found reference to the book "Next Generation Democracy: What the Open Source Revolution Means for Power, Politics, and Change." The author, Jarid Duval, explains how, through the Obama administration's "Open Government Initiative", government data is going to be made available as a set of web based services. Computer data driven applications will process data fed into it by the end user/citizen, and then draw meaning from the information it has been given. As an aside, the RBF is explained as philanthropy for an interdependent world, something we should all be completely aware of now, most especially after 2008.

The Governmental open-source platform is similar to how use of the Linux kernal, as an open-source platform, allows software developers/users to build upon and design specialized end-user applications by the 10's of thousands, resulting in an explosion of innovation, and best uses. Duval explains how people on the street will be able to collect information via their iPods, or other such devices, while the government will spend less time and money inspecting, and more time on the things that are improtant.

According to Duval, "Data.gov is the software development kit for government, as a platform."

http://www.data.gov/

I'm not sure what to think of this, as I know how useful open-source projects are but there's always another side to the coin. On this earth, roses have thorns.

Ty
1st January 2011, 18:14
I did read of one open-source proposal that made a lot of sense but I'm sure won't see the light of day anytime soon.

Wired magazine did a cover story on the financial collapse a year or so ago. Along with that article they had a proposed solution to minimize the chance of such things from happening again. It was very simple - put all financial transactions on-line, scrubbed of personal data, of course. Apparently there is already an html-like language for properly handling and displaying the myriad types of transactions.

With all the transactions on-line, the blogging community can then provide oversight and happily alert any/everyone of anomalies.