Open Knowledge

Why Open Knowledge and what do we consider open?
a passing by definition:

Open Knowledge is a set of principles and methodologies related to the production and distribution of knowledge works in an open manner. Knowledge is interpreted broadly to include data, content and general information. The Open Knowledge Definition is that knowledge is open if “one is free to use, reuse, and redistribute it without legal, social or technological restriction.”[1]

The concept is related to open source and the Open Knowledge Definition is directly derived from the Open Source Definition. Open Knowledge can be seen as being a superset of open dataopen content and libre open access with the aim of highlighting the commonalities between these different groups.
Wikipedia

The idea is not only the knowledge has to be open, but also that it has to be libre (property of any human being), accessible to all, fairly presented with all terms passible of definition and not obscured and passable of translation, to be exposed in any human language. This definition pragmatically sounded but is philosophically problematic. The most important term here cannot be easily and univocally defined:”Knowledge”. We anyway tend to agree that “knowledge” definition is operational. is defined by it’s practices, it’s result, in the context it operates. In this sense, and especially in our field it cannot be anything else than OPEN. There is no capital T truth in our alchemical operations. All results are obtained in the act of revealing them to an event were the eyes of the beholder are as important as the intentions behind the maker and the instruments he applies.

Quality is not perfection. We aim to quality.

Some quotes:

“We build technology and communities to create, share and use open information that everyone can use, share and build on”
(Open Knowledge Foundation)

Other sources of inspiration in no particular order:

  • Dyne.org, Free software foundry
  • FLOSS Manuals, Free manual for free software http://www.flossmanuals.net/