19th International CODATA Conference
Category: Plenary - Data and Society

The use of Scientific and technological data in today's society

René Deplanque
FIZ CHEMIE Berlin, Germany

The use of scientific data has changed over the years. In the past very large databases, both bibliographical and factual, where build up as large archiving and retrieval systems for published data. Within the last years a concentration process took place in databank production. Hardly any new database entered the market. The use of databases today is commonplace and they are accepted tools within the scientific working process.

But with the advance of the Internet, evolving Grid technology and the open access initiatives new ways of handling and distribution of data will change the functions and applications of information systems. As the user of yesterday was satisfied by finding the appropriate publication nowadays, for the user of information systems the direct application of information within the scientific process is of greatest importance. Networking of computers to calculate immense amounts of experimental data, networking of experiments, and easy inexpensive access to a full text publications is changing the scientific community. This talk will give an overview where we are and what we have to expect next, and how this will effect the everyday work of the scientist.