[OAI-implementers] usefulness of free text fields

[Thomas Krichel]

  Hickey,Thom writes

> On the other hand, why are you publishing the metadata if you don't want it
> used?

  As an example, the RePEc community would be unhappy to have the data 
  sold or included in a product that is sold. 

> 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.

  In that case, you are out there with Liu's suggestion that you should
  enter into bilateral aggreement. That strikes me as a bit bureaucratic
  but it may be necessary to avoid abuse. 

  I was the first to propose a legal framework for the exchange of 
  metadata at the Santa Fe meeting. I was also the first to experience
  serious abuse of my community's metadata. Despite that, I have somewhat
  changed my mind about the legal issue in the OAI context. I believe
  that it is too early to judge a legal framework right now. It is best
  to visit the issue a few years' down the line, when we have more 
  experience with the kind of setup that we are creating. Until then,
  we can deal with problems if and when they occur. IMHO that is better
  than setting up a structure that prevents problems but adds to the cost
  of protocol uptake. 

  Cheers,

  Thomas Krichel                              mailto:krichel@openlib.org
                                         http://openlib.org/home/krichel
                                     RePEc:per:1965-06-05:thomas_krichel