Wikileaks posts “new” proposed OS business model

Thursday, 27 August, 2009

Wikileaks has posted a presentation purporting to originate from the OS outlining a change to their business model. Posted 20 August, the document itself is simply dated 2009 so it’s hard to know when it was drafted but given the content it seems likely that it is relatively recently (assuming it does come from the OS). It certainly makes for interesting reading as it outlines three possible modes of operation: full commercial, free data and a hybrid. Not surprisingly, given all the criticism, it suggests adopting a hybrid mode, dismissing the “utility” model out of hand. Whilst drafted in such a way as to mark a “step change” in the way they do business, it comes across more as applying the patches to the trading fund model.

What are the largest areas of criticism of the OS? Well public access to data, derived data and cost? The “hybrid” model therefore tries to tackle these problems. In particular there is a focus upon easier public sector licensing (one license for England and Wales), non-commercial reuse of derived data (something the OS has been hammered for)and increased reuse of data through OpenSpace. Interestingly a cost cutting programme forms part of the package.

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