[uf-new] Sign Microformatted content & Build Microformat for Digital Signatures

[Henrich C. Poehls]

Hello,

deep buried in the discussion around a way to find/trace an
authoritative hcard on the uf-discuss mailing list [1] I proposed the
idea of having the possibility to digitally sign microformatted content
[2][3].
Nick Drago then helped to put the discussion of my 1st format proposal
into the uf-Wiki [4].

I am going to shortly share some benefits of a Microformat for digital
signatures I see here. I am really looking forward discussing it either
here or on the discussion page on the WiKi.

- Why a new Microformat?
I think signing a "Microformat" (aka Microformatted Content) shall be
possible within "Microformats" (so itself a microformat). Such as XML
can be signed and the Signature stored in XML as well.

- Why signing Microformatted content?
Microformats facilitate reuse of semantically annotated content. It
allows services and applications to cut&paste, convert, re-publish,
link-to, cite Microformatted content. In any of these cases it might be
interesting to see who the original author was. Additionally viewers
want to verify authorship. Digital Signatures offer just this,
Origin-Authentication.

- Why use digital signatures and not some "Trace-Back-Mechanism" [1]
Trace-back allows to find a "bigger", more complete version of
Microformatted content. Trace-back only verifies that the pointer used
for trace-back is now "self referencing". Trace-back will then verify
the content's source based on a URI/URL.

IMHO trace-back is a weaker "form of authenticity" than that achieved by
a digital signatures.

Also digital signatures are more versatile:
-- Digital signatures add authenticity without the need to trace links
back to some URL, so reduces the overhead if the content at view is
"authoritative enough".
-- Digital signatures allow to add authority to content that is placed
on foreign URLs (e.g. Signing your whole Comment you left on a foreign
Blog).

I can come up with more good reasons, but I stop now, leaving room for
your, much welcomed, thoughts :-)

Henrich.

[1]
http://microformats.org/discuss/mail/microformats-discuss/2007-January/thread.html#8265
[2]
http://microformats.org/discuss/mail/microformats-discuss/2007-February/008628.html
[3]
http://microformats.org/discuss/mail/microformats-discuss/2007-February/008661.html
[4]
http://microformats.org/wiki/digital-signatures