1. Data Formats: Avoiding proprietary formats
Modules should be 3-7 minutes long
Albert J Fleig
PITA Analytic Sciences
Version 1.0
Review Date

2. Overview
The use of proprietary formats in data sets for general use, introduces problems in every subsequent stage of archival, distribution, application and maintenance and should be avoided.

3. Cost, time and utility are compromised
Both the ultimate user and the archival and distribution organization will need to acquire appropriate tools to read the data. This will consume both money and time.
Developers of future analysis and plotting packages are unlikely to incorporate readers for other companies proprietary formats into their new tools.

4. Provenance is compromised
Once a data set is reformatted by either the archival and distribution organization or the end user it becomes very difficult or impossible to maintain provenance back to the original data set. For instance neither a check-sum nor a byte by byte comparison is possible.

5. Tools may become unavailable
The manufacturer of the proprietary data format tools may not maintain them as technology for storing and processing data changes. Sufficient information for the archive or a user to provide the necessary changes may not be available.

6. Best practices
Provide data in an open source, well documented format that has widespread community access.

7. Other Relevant Modules
Using self describing formats
Choosing and adopting community accepted standards
Building understandable spreadsheets