[TriLUG] OT: Standardized Data Crunching

[Tom Eisenmenger]

I'm preparing a presentation/proposal exploring the application of the open source philosophy to solving some of the world's more daunting problems (the example I'll use is developing economically low-impact, environmentally high-impact policy using computer modeling).  

One of the more vexing "gotchas" is the lack of awareness about what data is out there "floating around" and its apparent lack of standardization.  A second question is whether or not computer models are available online using some kind of standard API.  Any and all suggestions, tips, etc. would be very much appreciated.  If you are aware of initiatives launched to build a networked community of datasets and models communicating through a standardized API, that would be a goldmine.  If not, your opinions as to why not would be appreciated!  

Of course, it could just be that I'm naive but having a variety of computer models, but it seems to me that providing public data in a standardized format (XML would probably be fine) and, more importantly, providing computer modeling horsepower (of a wide range of sophistication) through a standardized API, all freely available on the net, would be a no-brainer.