[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> .... Therefore, I come back to suggestions I made before:
> Make it possible to obtain structural data on a 'pay per structure'
> basis.
I agree with this and indeed in this case it is already possible... The
ICSD database can be searched via the STN network (in the US this is
available via the American Chemical Society,
http://www.cas.org/stnonline.html). I wish that the other major
databases would also offer similar services -- making it even more
important the people use the one such service that exists.
> USG is a big taxpayer and certainly contributes that the
> people at NIST have heated quarters over the long winter).
In this case the data are compiled at the expense of German taxpayers,
not the U.S. taxpayers. Even if this were a NIST-created database, U.S.
law requires cost recovery. You can of course take this up with your
Congressional representation. They make the laws.
I am not trying to protect NIST's interests here. I see this as a matter
of fairness. The issue here is one of recouping expenses for a small
group of people that has struggled for years to put out a valuable
product with uncertain support. Users who bypass paying their share put
a larger burden on the folks who play by the rules and by doing so could
endanger the future of the product.
Brian
(These are my opinions and do not represent NIST)
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Brian H. Toby, Ph.D. Leader, Crystallography Team
[EMAIL PROTECTED] NIST Center for Neutron Research, Stop 8562
voice: 301-975-4297 National Institute of Standards & Technology
FAX: 301-921-9847 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8562
http://www.ncnr.nist.gov/xtal
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