The People's Code • Hacker News Board

Re: The People's Code

#41

Post by weka » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 2:48 AM UTC

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?

Re: The People's Code

#42

Post by openasocket » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 2:51 AM UTC

colejohnson66 wrote: post #25

random_rr wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a lot of internal resistance to open sourcing code. Lots of people believe that their code is their secret sauce - and why would you have highly paid consultants create code just so the next department can take it? There's also security concerns to take into account - which I know someone will say is a good thing, because of transparency and so forth. But just realize that it's not a trivial amount of work t…

But isn't everything made by the government in the public domain?

Public domain just means it can't be copyrighted. It doesn't necessarily mean it has to be distributed to the public.

Re: The People's Code

#43

Post by greglindahl » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 2:55 AM UTC

autoreleasepool wrote: post #24

desdiv wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that 20% is too little, considering that works by the federal government are supposed to be in automatic public domain[0]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_status_of_work_by_th...

You make a great point. Can anyone explain why software is exempt from this?

In addition to the point already made that the government has no obligation to release anything, code written by contractors is generally copyright by the contractors.

Re: The People's Code

#44

Post by greglindahl » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 2:56 AM UTC

weka wrote: post #41

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…

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!

Re: The People's Code

#45

Post by ryanolsonx » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 2:57 AM UTC

jmcgough wrote: post #38

masterleep wrote: post #26

Horrible name - the Federal Government of the United States is not "the People".

I think the idea is that, by making it OSS, it's software that now belongs to "the people".

Only 20% of it by the looks of things ;)

Re: The People's Code

#46

Post by greglindahl » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 3:04 AM UTC

bretthoerner wrote: post #36

former_govt wrote: post #7

I admire the work that 18F is doing, and live in the DC area, even contracted for the government early in my career -- but I can never go back. I just fundamentally disagree with the security clearance apparatus is in place and never want to subject myself to that again. Especially when purely private companies pay more and don't care what you do in your personal time. Working for the government felt like being a chi…

What was so bad about the security clearance aspect?

A few people are a little disgruntled that the government gave all of the information in our security clearance applications/re-ups to China. That's my beef, I'm sure other folks have other things to say.

Re: The People's Code

#47

Post by jknoepfler » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 3:17 AM UTC

This is a great idea. I feel like the big picture isn't open source code for government, but open source APIs for interacting with the government. In the medium-term future, I think we should push for a system where all government documents that ought to be a matter of public record are managed in a publicly readable versioned source repository like, like a federal git server.

Other things that I'd like to see in publicly visible git repositories:

- federal laws and regulations (particularly regulations, standards, etc.).

- procedures (rules for federal processes)

- all documents for making requests of the federal government, with mechanisms for getting those requests to the right place.

Re: The People's Code

#48

Post by mars4rp » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 3:23 AM UTC

Where is the IRS code?

Re: The People's Code

#49

Post by greglindahl » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 3:23 AM UTC

thinkcomp wrote: post #4

How about open PACER?

That's a Judicial Branch screwup, not Executive Branch.

Check out the RECAP project. So far, that's the best we've got.

Re: The People's Code

#50

Post by hackuser » Fri, Nov 04, 2016, 3:26 AM UTC

masterleep wrote: post #26

Horrible name - the Federal Government of the United States is not "the People".

> the Federal Government of the United States is not "the People"

I disagree. It is indeed "government of the people, by the people, for the people". You may not like some particular people, and neither do I: Some are dumb, corrupt, or simply disagree with me.

But if that doesn't represent the people of the U.S., I don't know what else could. If they were non-corrupt, all smart and highly capable, and all agreed with me - that would be some other country (in a fairy tale).

It's not government of, by and for me. I want everyone else to have a vote too, even if I disagree with them.