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At Tue, 6 Nov 2007 10:07:45 -0800, Roy Tennant wrote: > > I have a presentation coming up and I'm considering doing what I'm > calling a "Library Software Manifesto". Some of the following may > not be completely understandable on the face of it, and I would be > explaining the meaning during the presentation, but this is what I > have so far and I'd be interested in other ideas this group has or > comments on this. Thanks, Roy Hi Roy, I’m coming from perhaps a different perspective (that of an advocate for free software), but I couldn’t help noticing similarities between your first two rights & the Free Software Foundation’s ‘four freedoms’ definition of free software. > Consumer Rights > > - I have a right to use what I buy | The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0). > - I have a right to the API if I've bought the product > […] | The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your | needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for | this. [1] And for responsibilities, there is also some similarity with ‘freedom 3’: | The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to | the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access | to the source code is a precondition for this. These responsibilities, as well, fit in very well with the advice that you will get on effective bug reporting for free software. See, for example, [2]. I don’t know if this was intentional or not; but it was something very striking to me. (I should probably state clearly that I believe that library organizations should see the use & advocacy of free software as an very logical extension of their missions.) best, Erik PS: Hope all is well at OCLC! 1. <http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html> 2. <http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html> ;; Erik Hetzner, California Digital Library ;; gnupg key id: 1024D/01DB07E3