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I think they prefer this "freemium" model. It works better when it's free data than having to pay a little something for the same data. As for the idea that DB

I think they prefer this "freemium" model. It works better when it's free data than having to pay a little something for the same data. As for the idea that DB is moved to Open Data, yes, it is a great idea, I can only think of people shouting "socialism!! communism!! don't kill the private sector!!" Maintaining their own data center (cloning the data once every 24h) would also mean they need to build a compliance capacity. Currently they don't own any data, they just pave the highway and sniffing the traffic (injecting ads). > "It does not store or sell users’ personal information, the company said." This is a big game changer and would require far greater Security/Compliance efforts. And if the full company is the 9 people appearing in the first photo, then they will need to double that.

StudentStuff 9y ago
With only 7 lookups per user per month, cloning the database likely doesn't make sense. The data will be stale, and the contractor would likely never permit a daily dump of the database either.
- HenryBemis 9y ago
  Fair point. It looks like the free-meal is over for Propel (heh, pun!) and they will have to start paying a little something.
pbhjpbhj 9y ago
If a company provides a service on behalf of the government then really open data should be a basic requirement with default arrangements for high use, like a standard payment across all government open data per 100k accesses. Government enabled private monopoly is surely anti-capitalist too (ie as well as anti-communist, etc.).
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  > Government enabled private monopoly is surely anti-capitalist Capitalism is defined by government maintaining a system of property rights defined to enable private monopoly, though this particular form does clash with the defensive propaganda developed by defenders of the system in response to the criticism of it for doing just that. OTOH, that propaganda has never really aligned with the reality of capitalism.
  - pbhjpbhj 9y ago
    Hmm, there are monopolisations of property like copyright, or land ownership, but we're talking monopolisation of a market - AIUI competition is fundamental to Western Capitalism as without it there is no market optimisation. The justification for allowing functions of the state to be performed by private enterprise is that competition in the markets leads to optimised systems that can't be achieved through centralisation; without that justification you're simply stealing from the demos to provide private profits.

StudentStuff 9y ago

With only 7 lookups per user per month, cloning the database likely doesn't make sense. The data will be stale, and the contractor would likely never permit a daily dump of the database either.

HenryBemis 9y ago
Fair point. It looks like the free-meal is over for Propel (heh, pun!) and they will have to start paying a little something.

pbhjpbhj 9y ago

If a company provides a service on behalf of the government then really open data should be a basic requirement with default arrangements for high use, like a standard payment across all government open data per 100k accesses. Government enabled private monopoly is surely anti-capitalist too (ie as well as anti-communist, etc.).

dragonwriter 9y ago
> Government enabled private monopoly is surely anti-capitalist Capitalism is defined by government maintaining a system of property rights defined to enable private monopoly, though this particular form does clash with the defensive propaganda developed by defenders of the system in response to the criticism of it for doing just that. OTOH, that propaganda has never really aligned with the reality of capitalism.
- pbhjpbhj 9y ago
  Hmm, there are monopolisations of property like copyright, or land ownership, but we're talking monopolisation of a market - AIUI competition is fundamental to Western Capitalism as without it there is no market optimisation. The justification for allowing functions of the state to be performed by private enterprise is that competition in the markets leads to optimised systems that can't be achieved through centralisation; without that justification you're simply stealing from the demos to provide private profits.