Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

But, considering this research is tax-funded (that includes my taxes), shouldn't I, a funder of this research, be allowed to access the raw results?


(disclaimer - I'm a former NASA contractor and current federal employee, though not at NASA)

Yes - and, in fact, the Administration released a memo on this topic earlier this year ("Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research" - http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ost...). However, each agency is responsible for developing their own individual plan on how to carry this out, and I don't believe NASA's has been published yet.


But why should I, as a non-American, have access to that same data? Or this documents made free in the OP?


the fact is, as a non-tax paying non-american you don't have the privilege to access it, but for the "generosity" of the US Gov't (and the fact that enforcing copyright for these things is both costly and not worthwhile).


There is a balance between accessing raw results and everyone accessing the means by which those raw results are accessed.

I say this as an Information Wants To Be Free t-shirt wearer.

No one hates someone who holds something if they know the holding of it is something everyone wants.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: