[Solar-general] ciencia libre

[Martín Olivera]

http://blogs.open.collab.net/oncollabnet/2009/08/open-source-model-for-the-science-fields.html

Open Source Model for the Science Fields

We know that using an open source model for software development drives
innovation, reveals bugs and fixes more quickly, and allows for creative
minds to collaborate in ways that just can't happen with proprietary code.
Because of this, we have been seeing more open source software projects
emerge over the past few years. That's not to say that there aren't issues.
Businesses are still working out the kinks in how they can sponsor and
encourage open source software while trying to figure out how to pay the
bills and profit. After all, few can volunteer all of their time. In
addition, credit needs to go where credit is due.

In the science fields, sharing research and data has been the norm, but the
process differs from the open source software model. Typically a scientist
starts his/her research, makes discoveries, writes up the findings, and then
publishes in leading journals. Then, and not until the creator's name is
firmly attached, do others get the data. Eventually, the code or data gets
shared. Now, however, various branches of science are looking more closely
at the open source software model.

The main concern of scientists has been getting credit where credit is due.
The introduction of licenses, similar to those we use for open source
software, will protect the discovery process, while encouraging
collaboration, and verification. The added benefit is that there is no need
to wait for publication.

Personally, I find this exciting. It means more minds can get in on the
research from the very beginning, and is not academically exclusive. The
more variety of people and the larger the set of eyes looking at a project
or problem, the great the likeliness that it will speed up the discovery and
testing process.

Transparency is a huge bonus in software development, and I think we'll find
the same is true in the world of science.

There is much concern in the science arena that someone will swoop up the
public research and take credit for it, that people "undeserving" will water
down the reputations of those more deserving. I think just the opposite will
happen. And it's sad that the importance of reputation manages to rise above
the possibility of improving processes and increasing the likeliness of
discovering error or new information.

Apparently many science researchers are resistant to sharing data, even
after the publication in a journal. Science should not be allowed to be a
closed system. All the processes, the procedures, the data capture methods,
and the data itself should be exposed at the earliest possible moment.

I'm excited to see sites and resources like the following:

   - Open Source Science <http://www.openscience.org/blog/>
   - OpenSourceScience<http://www.opensourcescience.net/index.php?title=Main_Page>
   - The Open Source Science
Project<http://www.theopensourcescienceproject.com/>
   - Victoria Stodden: Open Source Science-Open Research
License<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J4IwzUfvoo>
   - Open Source Science
Experiments<http://www.opensourcescience.net/index.php?title=OpenSourceScience_Experiments>

There is currently a lot of resistance from scientists to open source their
projects, but as awareness increases about the benefits of transparency
emerge, I think we'll see more and more scientific research on the web along
with special licenses to protect the originators through the discovery
process.
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 [image: Dana Nourie] About the Author Dana Nourie previously worked for Sun
Microsystems for 10 years, and is now eager to focus entirely on virtual
communities for CollabNet, working with all types of developers. She also
enjoys photography, hiking, and spending time role playing in the Star Wars
SIM of Second Life.


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