Affiliations: [a] Commission of the European Communities, Directorate General XII, Science, Research and Development, Joint Research Centre, Petten, The Netherlands | [b] Directorate General XIII, Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation, 2920 Luxembourg
Note: [*] Based on a presentation delivered at the Tenth International Conference of CODATA (Committee on Data for Science and Technology of the International Council of Scientific Unions) in Ottawa, Canada, 14–17 July 1986. Published here with the permission of CODATA.
Abstract: Whereas the complex nature, high cost and uncertain returns have, in the past, largely impeded the development of computerized materials data banks, progress in information technology and the growing computerization of engineering methods have now changed the environmental conditions for such data banks. This development together with the importance of materials data for industrial technology, innovation and R&D has stimulated corresponding initiatives in industrialized countries. The activities which have been launched by the CEC, support the concept of a cooperative, distributed network of materials data information services. This approach towards a pilot network operating a demonstrator programme is described against the historical background of CEC information market development.
