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NOAA Adopts New Net Policy

Posted by samzenpus on from the you-can't-handle-the-weather dept.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has adopted a new policy which applies to provision of all National Weather Service environmental information, including forecasts, warnings, and observations. In June, /. reported that NOAA was taking comments on the proposed policy. Hundreds of Slashdotters responded. And it made a difference: NOAA will make its data and products available in internet-accessible, vendor-neutral form and will use other dissemination technologies, e.g. satellite broadcast, NOAA Weather Radio, and wireless, as appropriate. Congrats to the Slash community for making a difference and helping to set US Govt policy.

5 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. free weatherbug? by Lord+Ender · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Does this mean someone could write a free version of weatherbug that doesn't include the annoying spyware and registration? That'd be nice.

    --
    A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
  2. Government not a lost cause yet by TimmyDee · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This just goes to show that not all hope is lost in participatory government. I know I get frustrated at times with how much clout corporations have in government operations, but every now and again I get a little glimmer of hope.

    --
    Per Square Mile, a blog about density
  3. Well... by laughingcoyote · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Least they listen every once in a while. Still, it's good to see that at least ONE agency remembers that the people are supposed to run the government, not the other way around.

    --
    To fight the war on terror, stop being afraid.
  4. We'll see how long... by Forbman · · Score: 3, Insightful

    this lasts.

    All it will take is someone from TWC or some of the other commercial repackagers of NWS information who happens to have been a good RNC/TeamW contributor to put a whisper in Karl Rove's ear that NOAA is out of line here, that those commie freeniks should have to pay for the information, and it will then fall under some blanket of the US PATRIOT Act, National Security, DMCA, etc., so that their handle on the data from NOAA/NWS is impenetrable for the untermenschen (ie., the rest of us).

  5. Now.... by doormat · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If we could only get that kind of voice on the issues of copyright and patents!!

    --
    The Doormat

    If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.