[Esip-preserve] Provenance for Data Created With Proprietary Software

[Cook, Robert B.]

Bruce,

This same issue is looming for the Google Earth Engine (being developed by Rebecca Moore at Google).

They have acquired the LandSat collection (at no cost) and are processing those data to examine issues like tropical deforestation.

At this point they don't have plans to make those processing algorithms public.  Landsat researchers are concerned about this lack of transparency.

Your info.
Bob


On Nov 30, 2010, at 8:26 AM, Bruce Barkstrom wrote:

> I was researching "orthorectification" a few weeks ago
> and ran across a rather bothersome reference that 
> suggested companies doing aerial surveys may keep
> details of the algorithms for this process proprietary
> in order to protect what they regard as their trade
> secrets.  I'll get the specific reference later, but from
> my standpoint, hiding details of the algorithms means
> that it is impossible to replicate the details of the
> processes applied to the data or to verify the correctness
> of the algorithms.  In the long term, this means that
> such data should only be published in the Journal of
> Irreproducible Results.  It also creates some rather
> interesting pleasantries for provenance.
> 
> Bruce B.
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