Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Domains

Domain: weatherindustry.org

Stories and comments across the archive that link to weatherindustry.org.

Comments · 6

  1. You meant Accuweather by statemachine · · Score: 1 · on Panic Over Failing QuikSCAT Satellite Overblown

    Weather Underground, because of the Weather Service Scandal is a suspect source of information. They did their best to cripple free updates from the national weather service and I'm still angry at them for it.

    Why are you mad at Weather Underground? You're thinking of Accuweather and the other people. If you follow a link from that slashdot story you'll see that Weather Underground is not listed as a member of CWSA.

  2. You meant Accuweather by statemachine · · Score: 1 · on Panic Over Failing QuikSCAT Satellite Overblown

    Weather Underground, because of the Weather Service Scandal is a suspect source of information. They did their best to cripple free updates from the national weather service and I'm still angry at them for it.

    Why are you mad at Weather Underground? You're thinking of Accuweather and the other people. If you follow a link from that slashdot story you'll see that Weather Underground is not listed as a member of CWSA.

  3. A lot of disinformation from Slashdot on this one by cybervox · · Score: 1 · on The Future of Free Weather Data on the Internet

    First, Barry Myers is not the president of AccuWeather. Second, this request is not coming from AccuWeather but rather from the CWSA which includes all significant commercial weather companies including the Weather Channel and various broadcast meteorologists. (Barry Myers happens to be head of a committee there). Third, CWSA is not recommending the removal or discontinuation of anything, but rather requesting a review of the policy (read: law) currently in effect but is being ignored by government employees. Rather than offering to review the policy, the NWS has offered only to discontinue the policy entirely, giving them free range to spend your money on whatever they want... if this happens, expect to see (more) plasma screens in NWS offices and more inane projects like the Science Sphere (maybe a good idea if done by some rich kook but not if done with money taken out of my weekly check).

  4. Re:Who pays for it? by gabebear · · Score: 2, Insightful · on The Future of Free Weather Data on the Internet
    The new proposal does extend the public's rights to the data, however, this document by Barry Myers is arguing that the NWS doesn't have the right to publish the data they create via the web because of a 1991 Policy that states:
    "The NWS will not compete with the private sector [Commercial Weather Industry] when a service is currently provided or can be provided by commercial enterprises, unless otherwise directed by applicable law."
    which is slated to be repealed if the new proposal goes through. The document Myers sent out goes on to say;
    "The recognition that the private weather industry is ideally suited to put the NWS information database into a form and detail that can be utilized by specific users is deleted."
    People are worried because if Myers has everything he wants, then the data the NWS publishes would closed to the public. I find it unlikely this would happen, but it's amazing what lobbyists can do.
  5. Re:Should be free. by john82 · · Score: 1 · on The Future of Free Weather Data on the Internet
    From the Commercial Weather Services Association (CWSA) own presentation on this topic:
    [NWS Position Statement:] The NWS should make its data and products available in internetaccessible digital form. Information held in digital databases should be based on widely recognized standards, formats, and metadata descriptions to ensure that data from different observing platforms, databases, and models can be integrated and used by all interested parties in the weather and climate enterprise.

    CWSA Position Statement: .. CWSA endorses the dissemination of all NWS data and information (including experimental) in real time without delay in Internet accessible digital form to the private sector for distribution to the public in formats that are appropriate to carry out a properly defined NWS mission. The digital database should not be used to allow the NWS to expand beyond its core mission, jeopardize the existing infrastructure, or enter areas creating publicly-funded competition with the Commercial Weather Industry.


    Note the first part of the CWSA position. The part where publicly-funded weather information should go directly to the private sector. They'll decide the what, when, how and how much of subesquent dissemination to the public. All data. All formats (even the experimental stuff, we wouldn't want them to miss out on anything tasty). Then the private sector can package it for profit (what you call value-added).

    I gather from your argument, that the government should not provide publicly-funded data (not software, cars or some other private venture) to the public? If commercial companies can take raw data, do something productive with it, and sell it, good for them. But there's not a chance in hell that they should be the only ones with access to the data. The public paid for the data at least once already.
  6. Let the NOAA know you want the data to stay free.. by Phil+John · · Score: 2, Informative · on The Future of Free Weather Data on the Internet

    ...here is a link to the Word Document being used by the Private Weather Sector to give details about where/how to lobby to NOAA.

    Instead of bemoaning the state of the public sector how about actually doing something about it and actively lobby the people in power to keep this free?