[OAI-implementers] usefulness of free text fields

[Glen Newton]

Thom Hickey (hickey@oclc.org) wrote:
> I would agree that a free text field about rights to metadata is not useful.
> I expect that a few levels could probably be made to work, although I'd stay
> away from rights to the object pointed at.  That doesn't seem like where OAI
> should be concentrating.
> 
> On the other hand, why are you publishing the metadata if you don't want it
> used?  The best way to control rights will be by who you let into your
> server and if it's a public server it would seem there is an expectation
> that it may be consolidated by others into larger catalogs.

If this is indeed the case, then why have a usage tag at all, if
everyone is assuming that all the metadata is public? It becomes
rather meaningless. I personally do not think this is the case,
otherwise we would be limiting the protovol and by extension, the
metadata publishing and consuming communities.

-glen