The Zen of Open Data

• Open is better than closed.
• Transparent is better than opaque.
• Simple is better than complex.
• Accessible is better than inaccessible.
• Sharing is better than hoarding.
• Linked is more useful than isolated.
• Fine grained is preferable to aggregated.
• (Although there are legitimate privacy and security limitations.)
• Optimise for machine readability — they can translate for humans.
• Barriers prevent worthwhile things from happening.
• “Flawed, but out there” is a million times better than “perfect, but unattainable”.
• Opening data up to thousands of eyes makes the data better.
• Iterate in response to demand.
• There is no one true feed for all eternity — people need to maintain this stuff.

The Zen of Open Data by Chris McDowall