Slashdot Mirror
The Future of Free Weather Data on the Internet
An anonymous reader writes "The National Weather Service wants to update a 1991 policy that limits what data it can put on the Internet. The proposed new policy makes putting free data on the Internet official. The Private Weather Sector wants NWS to provide its new digital forecasts only in specialized data formats and would like NWS to shut down new XML data feeds. Barry Myers (MS Word doc), president of Accuweather wants you to have pay before using Kweather and other similar tools. Myers is asking friends to comment against the new NWS policy by June 30. Should we have to pay twice to get weather forecasts?"
As long as I can't order the weather I like where I am from these weather service companies its not worth paying for.
God is REAL! Unless explicitly declared INTEGER
"In order to protect the competitive nature of the privately-owned media, direct NWS participation with the radio and television media should be limited to those situations requiring urgent public action as in the case of severe or extreme weather and flooding or education and preparedness activities." [Proposed for repeal by the NWS].
I assume this means the NWS is allowed to tell people about impending doom, but nothing else. It follows, I suppose, that the proposed for repeal bit means they want to be allowed to tell people more than this. I have to admit I don't really understand the situation, not being in the US.
Besides, much simpler in England. If it's not already raining, it soon will be. Prepare accordingly.
Why use web based Weather feeds when you can pick the data off the satellite's directly??
Maybe it's just me, but I could think of so many answers to that question.
"There is no national or continental weather service in Europe; private pilots have to pay for information, usually in the form of two daily faxes. This means that European pilots have to know even more about weather than their American counterparts because they must be able to predict conditions"
Not only there is no weather service, there are in fact no weather at all - Europe hasn't evolved a climate yet, unlike the US... and of course there are no pilots or airplanes whatsoever...
HINT HINT: you are living in a psychiatric hospital
Yes, it does fall under the FOIA. All weather forecasts will be published in an open format for anyone who wants to see them -- a mere five years after they are made.
Rejoice in the freedom of information act.
Why are you letting these clowns ruin our country?