data sharing

[Peter Rauch]

Two brief statements appeared in the latest issue of the ESA Newsletter
(Entomological Society of America), Oct 1998:21(10), pgs. 1-2, relevant
to this dicussion about data sharing:

Linkname: President's Corner
     URL: http://www.entsoc.org/prescorn.htm#OCT98PC

In "The Modus Operandi of Science", by George Kennedy, 1998 ESA
President, pg 2, he observes that as raw data becomes just another
commodity, science/education must remain vigilant on the issue of
full and open exchange of data.

Linkname: "Crosscuts" for the National Science Foundation
     URL: http://www.entsoc.org/legislate.htm#Crosscuts

In "'Crosscuts' for the National Science Foundation", pg 1, Rita
Colwell, NSF Director, is quoted to say that she envisions a future of
"heavy duty computing" for the NSF and scientists in general, and in
particular she asks NSF to become the lead agency in a $1 Billion,
5-year effort to develop long-term research projects in ... and _data
transfer_. [emphasis mine]

I assume that "data transfer" includes the _policy_ issues being raised
here on Taxacom, as well as technical issues, associated with the use
(inc. transfer) of raw, and several-times-digested, data.

Peter