Douglas Purdy explains. I think the best part will be the governmental aspect. All public record should be available in a way that’s easy to query IMHO. From the article:

Many of us at Microsoft believe the OData protocol can help usher in a more open and programmable Web by creating a common funnel to expose rich data, thereby creating a world of customized consumer mash-ups; a world where government data is transparent and accessible to any citizen; a world where you can ask a question and know, “There’s a feed for that.”

Do check out www.odata.org, and while you’re at it, check out codename Dallas. For all those government IT workers out there, consider the savings. No need to pay someone to format the data for a specific department or constituent. Just put it online and point them there.