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I think they can be reconciled - but only with an open standard (or set of open standards) for access control on the web. We've moved far beyond the web as a pu
by benwerd 16y ago
I think they can be reconciled - but only with an open standard (or set of open standards) for access control on the web. We've moved far beyond the web as a publishing medium; it's an application and data platform. In those contexts, some kind of universal access control - and open identity to go along with it - is critical.
For what it's worth, my vote would be a simple system, like oAuth, that would send access and identity data in the HTTP header along with a request. This wouldn't break existing web patterns, or require vast amounts of new development, but would add a little extra identity-centric context. It could be sent from the browser itself, I suppose, but I see it being added as a layer from feed reader style apps.
I wrote a summary of the idea down a while back: http://benwerd.com/2010/03/activity-streams-and-oauth-a-social-web-architecture/ http://benwerd.com/2010/03/activity-streams-and-oauth-a-soci... There are lots of possible solutions, but this is one.
- buro9 16y agoFOAF+SSL is what you want. People controlling their own profile and how it's used, but keeping it openly and universally accessible. It already works in all browsers too... though it's a little ugly and the user experience should be improved a hell of a lot.
- benwerd 16y agoI'm not sure how FOAF and SSL could be used in themselves? FOAF is fine for storing social contact information, for sure, and SSL is a handy security layer. But while they could be used in an access control mechanism, they don't constitute one. (Is FOAF actually still used anywhere?)
- buro9 16y agohttp://esw.w3.org/Foaf%2Bssl http://esw.w3.org/Foaf%2Bssl "FOAF+SSL is a secure authentication protocol that enables the building of distributed, open and secure social networks: the Social Web. We are just in the process of starting the formal standardisation process."
- ujal 16y agoThank you. Did not know about it before. Finally something open is going to replace Facebook & Co. Good ui/ux is also guaranteed as this will be the new space for browsers to compete on.
- buro9 16y agoIt needs people to implement it though... one of the guys involved is willing to help people do this. Just contact Henry Story if you're interested in learning more: http://bblfish.net/ http://bblfish.net/
- benwerd 16y agoI've actually spoken to Henry about it, and seen him demonstrate it together with WebID. The problem is, it's really technical right now; without input and UI support from the browser vendors, it's going to be out of reach for most casual web users.
- ujal 16y agoWhy not contacting someone directly from Mozilla or Google? They should both 'adopt' it in no time. Also I have seen zero coverage of it until now.
- wmf 16y agoThis is based on client certificates and thus is doomed by terrible browser UIs.
- chrislo 16y agoThis idea and more are explored in the final report of the W3C's Social Web Incubator Group: http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/socialweb/wiki/FinalReport http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/socialweb/wiki/FinalReport