Re: 20040426: ECMWF data on your website (cont.)

Hi Tom,

> If you provided the web pages as part of your job, it implies that you
> are being funded to create the web pages, and so this could be
> considered as a commercial activity.  If this is a commercial activity,
> you need to abide by WMO Resolution 40 restrictions:

OK.

> In particular, section 3. may apply to your situation.

Yep.
 
> My read of WMO Resolution 40 tells me that the restriction of data
> re-export is not necessarily limited to the original raw data.  In
> fact, "products" are explicitly mentioned.

That's what I figured.
 
> A statement that pertains to your use of ECMWF model data is:
> 
> Annex 4 to Resolution 40
> http://www.nws.noaa.gov/im/wmor40a4.htm
> 
> "For commercial purposes
>     For recompense beyond the incremental cost of reproduction and delivery."
> 
> To me this means that if any part of your salary, or if the cost of
> maintaining your web site is borne by your employer, you may be in
> violation of WMO Resolution 40 restrictions on data re-export.

Yep.
 
> >I cannot residtribute anything but Day 3-6 850 temps and surface 
> >pressure in raw GRIB format, and here is where I am not sure...
> >"value-added" plotted data.
> 
> We need to read the document before commenting on it.  Please send
> along the pertinent URL(s).

Good question. There is (or was) a list of WMO headers on the NWSTG 
homepage that showed that everything was banned from the ECMWF on web 
pages except for day 3-6 MSLP and 850 temps.

> A web site whose access is not restricted is public by nature.  As I
> pointed out in our phone conversation last Friday afternoon, search
> engine robots/spiders crawl web sites and then make the existence of
> pages generally known.  In fact, I used Google (tm) to find your
> 'The European Forecast Model Contouring Machine' page -- it was the top
> link when using the search keys 'ecmwf niu'.

Then what will they think of weather.cod.edu's ECMWF site? Or Ohio State, 
or Texas A&M (I think that one was taken down)? Am I alone in this?

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Gilbert Sebenste                                                     ********
(My opinions only!)                                                  ******
Staff Meteorologist, Northern Illinois University                      ****
E-mail: address@hidden                                               ***
web: http://weather.admin.niu.edu                                      **
Work phone: 815-753-5492                                                *
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