> Who maintains this server Ideally any hosing provider selected from a robust market of hosting services competing on cost/bandwidth, cost/server-{storage,cpu

> Who maintains this server Ideally any hosing provider selected from a robust market of hosting services competing on cost/bandwidth, cost/server-{storage,cpu}, uptime/support guarantees, and any other actual recurring or per-use costs. Any software running on the server (a database, HTTP service, etc) should be a separate concern. Maybe you roll your own. Maybe a small fee to license a software package that includes updates/fixes. Most people ideally should be able to a community maintained package. The point is that someone needs to be able to select a hosting service like they select other common services (e.g. utilities, cable TV), plug in the URL of any other services they want to use (or select a suggested option), and be free to change their mind at any time. If data storage and software is packaged in an interoperable plug-in style, it would be easy to, for example, move your comment database to another provider by retaining their services and notifying your main hosting service of the change. Of course, this will never happen in our current environment of businesses that prioritize trapping people into walled gardens and view interoperability as a threat to their surveillance-based revenue.