[CF-metadata] conditions of use (of data)

From: Stephens, A <A.Stephens>
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 07:52:28 +0100

Dear all,

I have mixed feelings about this one.

On the one hand I agree that we should include some global attribute to deal
with the conditions of use issue. [ So far I have been putting this in the
comment global attribute.]

However, the CF global attributes only encode a small subset of metadata and
is in no way as comprehensive as the full detailed schemas being developed
by groups such as the NDG (NERC DataGrid). Adding a new global attribute for
license is possibly the start of numerous additions which, in my opinion,
would lose the focus of CF. I think that we have two choices, to encode our
entire metadata structures in CF and enforce controlled vocabularies etc, or
we accept that CF allows us to put a small amount of important metadata into
a data file. If we accept the latter then the general approach is to look at
the six available global attributes and force the information you consider
important into those categories. I think it works as well as it can within
those constraints and adding more global attributes (without imposing a
greater, more powerful metadata structure) will not really make much
difference.

I'm not sure which of the above paragraphs I agree with. I think I favour
the second. Sue's point about data restrictions changing with time is an
added complication (although you can point to an external URI where the
details are given).

Ag

-----Original Message-----
From: cf-metadata-bounces at cgd.ucar.edu
[mailto:cf-metadata-bounces at cgd.ucar.edu] On Behalf Of Latham, SE (Sue)
Sent: 23 September 2004 12:54
To: 'cf-metadata at cgd.ucar.edu'
Subject: [CF-metadata] conditions of use (of data)


Hi,
The conditions of use of data can, of course, change during the life history
of a dataset.
E.g.
-First year, restricted to project investigators.
- Second year, restricted to NERC scientists,
- Third year, public to any UK researcher
If your license URL is per dataset you can just change the target page. If
you've generic license URLs or text in the file, you may have to go back and
change all the datafiles. To extend Manual's comment:-
... once the data gets off your hands
all metadata outside the file is lost ! - and metadata inside the file can
become out-of-date.


Regards,
Sue Latham
email: S.E.Latham at rl.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1235 445406
Fax: +44 (0)1235 446314
CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0QX, U.K.
Web: ndg.nerc.ac.uk
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Received on Mon Sep 27 2004 - 00:52:28 BST