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Took a look at some of the code. I see one for Gov of Commerce: The Commerce.gov API is under active, but not public, development. As such, API code is not cu

by weka 10y ago

Took a look at some of the code. I see one for Gov of Commerce: The Commerce.gov API is under active, but not public, development. As such, API code is not currently made available publically. This Github repository will be used to collect and respond to feedback regarding the API and engage with developers interested in using the API. --- I don't believe that's the correct usage of GitHub. What's the point if you're not going to showcase the code?

greglindahl 10y ago
They said what they think the point is in what you quoted: "to collect and respond to feedback..." I can see why you might not like it, or not agree with it, but it's not like they didn't say it!
- toomuchtodo 10y ago
  My feedback would be a FOIA request for commerce.gov's API code, and a PR to add it to their repo.
  - dangrossman 10y ago
    You can't make an FOIA request for code. You can only make requests for agency records, and in the definitions section of the bill, computer code is explicitly listed as something that isn't an agency record. "computer software, including source code, object code, and listings of source and object codes, regardless of medium are not agency records"
    - NoGravitas 10y ago
      That sounds like something that you might be able to get your congressperson interested in changing, if you pitched it the right way.
    - toomuchtodo 10y ago
      Works created by the federal government are in the public domain, per section 105 of the copyright code. So you'd be right I can't use a FOIA request to obtain the code, but if obtained through other methods, I believe I'm in the clear for hosting it on Github.
      - dangrossman 10y ago
        With the exception of the recent 18F/USDS/etc groups acting as contractors to the rest of the government, the USG doesn't produce much code. Code is produced for the government by contractors, and that's not in the public domain. Here's a decent discussion of why the government doesn't regularly produce its own code, or much of anything: http://politics.stackexchange.com/a/7742 http://politics.stackexchange.com/a/7742
      - greglindahl 10y ago
        Basically, you're trying to figure out some way to piss off the techies and managers you want to convince to be more open? Even if FOIA worked on code, you really aren't helping your cause..
        toomuchtodo 10y ago
        > you're trying to figure out some way to piss off the techies and managers I'm not trying to piss anyone off, but to be honest, I don't really care if I do. I'm simply trying to pry government open into being more transparent through any means necessary. > you want to convince to be more open No. Not in the slightest. My opinion doesn't matter anywhere in government, so I'm left with the tools at my disposal. > Even if FOIA worked on code, you really aren't helping your cause.. When the carrot doesn't work, one must use the stick.
johncolanduoni 10y ago
I'd give them a pass since they do put a lot of other code up. It makes sense not to fragment the community, and more to the point I don't think keeping a precisely one-to-one relationship between repositories with code and issue trackers is that important as long as it leans heavily in the code direction. Otherwise yeah, I'd say they should host their own damn issue tracker.

by weka 10y ago

greglindahl 10y ago

They said what they think the point is in what you quoted: "to collect and respond to feedback..." I can see why you might not like it, or not agree with it, but it's not like they didn't say it!

toomuchtodo 10y ago
My feedback would be a FOIA request for commerce.gov's API code, and a PR to add it to their repo.
- dangrossman 10y ago
  You can't make an FOIA request for code. You can only make requests for agency records, and in the definitions section of the bill, computer code is explicitly listed as something that isn't an agency record. "computer software, including source code, object code, and listings of source and object codes, regardless of medium are not agency records"
  - NoGravitas 10y ago
    That sounds like something that you might be able to get your congressperson interested in changing, if you pitched it the right way.
  - toomuchtodo 10y ago
    Works created by the federal government are in the public domain, per section 105 of the copyright code. So you'd be right I can't use a FOIA request to obtain the code, but if obtained through other methods, I believe I'm in the clear for hosting it on Github.
    - dangrossman 10y ago
      With the exception of the recent 18F/USDS/etc groups acting as contractors to the rest of the government, the USG doesn't produce much code. Code is produced for the government by contractors, and that's not in the public domain. Here's a decent discussion of why the government doesn't regularly produce its own code, or much of anything: http://politics.stackexchange.com/a/7742 http://politics.stackexchange.com/a/7742
    - greglindahl 10y ago
      Basically, you're trying to figure out some way to piss off the techies and managers you want to convince to be more open? Even if FOIA worked on code, you really aren't helping your cause..
      - toomuchtodo 10y ago
        > you're trying to figure out some way to piss off the techies and managers I'm not trying to piss anyone off, but to be honest, I don't really care if I do. I'm simply trying to pry government open into being more transparent through any means necessary. > you want to convince to be more open No. Not in the slightest. My opinion doesn't matter anywhere in government, so I'm left with the tools at my disposal. > Even if FOIA worked on code, you really aren't helping your cause.. When the carrot doesn't work, one must use the stick.

johncolanduoni 10y ago

I'd give them a pass since they do put a lot of other code up. It makes sense not to fragment the community, and more to the point I don't think keeping a precisely one-to-one relationship between repositories with code and issue trackers is that important as long as it leans heavily in the code direction. Otherwise yeah, I'd say they should host their own damn issue tracker.