social-network-portability-faq - Revision history

Tantek: added link to Identity problem article

2007-11-27T18:40:15Z

added link to Identity problem article

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:40, 27 November 2007
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	''Does OpenID provide people with a way to create a globally unique identifier for themselves?''		''Does OpenID provide people with a way to create a globally unique identifier for themselves?''
	* OpenID does not <em>create</em> a globally unique identifier for a person. It is URL (by way of DNS) that <em>creates</em> a globally unique identifier (whether or a person or other purpose), not OpenID. What OpenID does do is add <em>authentication</em> on top of having a globally unique URL that is itself a globally unique identifier, that is, OpenID is a way of asserting that you "own" or otherwise control a particular URL to another service/site. The essential quality of being a globally unique identifier is present in a URL even without OpenID. Thus, no, it is not OpenID that ''creates'' a ''globally unique identifier'', rather, simply using a ''URL'' creates a globally unique identifier. A URL ''by itself'' can be used as a basis for portable social networks, since it provides a way of referring to a single person that makes sense across the whole Web. And as such, people can (and will) create multiple URLs that represent them, so a method of enabling people to tie their URLs together (e.g. [[XFN]]'s rel="me") becomes important. However, by adding authentication, OpenID can enhance existing globally unique identifier URLs for people, by permitting authenticated access to (perhaps more information in) profiles and social networks represented at those URLs using microformats.		* OpenID does not <em>create</em> a globally unique identifier for a person. It is URL (by way of DNS) that <em>creates</em> a globally unique identifier (whether or a person or other purpose), not OpenID. What OpenID does do is add <em>authentication</em> on top of having a globally unique URL that is itself a globally unique identifier, that is, OpenID is a way of asserting that you "own" or otherwise control a particular URL to another service/site. The essential quality of being a globally unique identifier is present in a URL even without OpenID. Thus, no, it is not OpenID that ''creates'' a ''globally unique identifier'', rather, simply using a ''URL'' creates a globally unique identifier. A URL ''by itself'' can be used as a basis for portable social networks, since it provides a way of referring to a single person that makes sense across the whole Web. And as such, people can (and will) create multiple URLs that represent them, so a method of enabling people to tie their URLs together (e.g. [[XFN]]'s rel="me") becomes important. However, by adding authentication, OpenID can enhance existing globally unique identifier URLs for people, by permitting authenticated access to (perhaps more information in) profiles and social networks represented at those URLs using microformats.
			* See also "[http://segala.com/blog/identity-the-most-widely-misuse-term-by-internet-experts/ OpenID does not prove identity.]"

Tantek: added initial form fill vs. update of info problem

2007-09-17T20:02:54Z

added initial form fill vs. update of info problem

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:02, 17 September 2007
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	We'll know what problems to solve next once more sites have implemented hCard+XFN and we start to take such support for granted, much as we take syndication support for granted in web sites today.		We'll know what problems to solve next once more sites have implemented hCard+XFN and we start to take such support for granted, much as we take syndication support for granted in web sites today.

			== Does clientside forms autofill solve the reenter your profile problem ==

			''Does client-side forms autofill (e.g. RoboForm) solve the re-enter your profile info problem?''

			Yes, clientside tools can help with the <em>initial</em> form filling out.

			However, what happens when:
			* you move
			* you change jobs
			* you get promoted
			* you get a new URL/phone/email
			* etc.

			... then you have to go browse 20+ sites and update them all one by one!

			If instead those sites supported [[social network portability]] and <em>subscribed</em> to your <em>syndicated</em> hCard profile (either from some other social network, or perhaps from your blog), then you could update this info in one place, and have your profiles everywhere else automatically get the updates.

			That's where you really start to see the benefits of social network portability beyond just the initial sign-up on new sites. It helps eliminate the "update tax" burden that builds with each new site you sign up on.

	== Does OpenID solve the re-enter your personal profile problem ==		== Does OpenID solve the re-enter your personal profile problem ==

AndyMabbett: ''

2007-09-17T11:48:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:48, 17 September 2007
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	__TOC__		__TOC__

	== Do microformats or any standard make all my social info portable ==		== Do microformats or any standard make ''all'' my social info portable ==
	''Do microformats or any standard make all my social info portable across social network sites?''		''Do microformats or any standard make all my social info portable across social network sites?''
	* No, nor is it a goal to do so. The [[hcard\|hCard]] microformat can represent the 80% of common information across social network sites like name, birthday, URLs, interests etc., and just being able to share that common 80% is quite valuable. In addition, many social networking and social media sites add their own distinct value for the problems they solve, and it's unrealistic to expect a standard (any stanadard) to try to represent/share all that info in a 100% interoperable matter.		* No, nor is it a goal to do so. The [[hcard\|hCard]] microformat can represent the 80% of common information across social network sites like name, birthday, URLs, interests etc., and just being able to share that common 80% is quite valuable. In addition, many social networking and social media sites add their own distinct value for the problems they solve, and it's unrealistic to expect a standard (any stanadard) to try to represent/share all that info in a 100% interoperable matter.

Tantek: added Is the Web itself a social network problem question from dweinberger

2007-09-17T04:57:02Z

added Is the Web itself a social network problem question from dweinberger

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 ''Do microformats or any standard make all my social info portable across social network sites?''
 * No, nor is it a goal to do so. The [[hcard|hCard]] microformat can represent the 80% of common information across social network sites like name, birthday, URLs, interests etc., and just being able to share that common 80% is quite valuable.  In addition, many social networking and social media sites add their own distinct value for the problems they solve, and it's unrealistic to expect a standard (any stanadard) to try to represent/share all that info in a 100% interoperable matter.
 == Does OpenID solve the re-enter your personal profile problem ==

Tantek: add question about solving all problems, 2nd level header style to qs for permalinks, improve wording.

2007-09-17T04:51:11Z

add question about solving all problems, 2nd level header style to qs for permalinks, improve wording.

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:51, 17 September 2007
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	This page documents frequently asked questions (FAQ) about [[social network portability]].		This page documents frequently asked questions (FAQ) about [[social network portability]].

	*''~~Doesn~~'t [~~http:~~/~~/openid~~.~~net/~~ OpenID] ~~address~~ the re-enter ~~all~~ your personal profile info problem?''		__TOC__
	** No it does not. OpenID is fundamentally about proving to one site that you own or control another particular URL. Nothing more. All the profile stuff is extra and even then the specific property set is unspecified in OpenID. That's where [[hcard\|hCard]] comes in. hCard specifies a vocabulary of personal profile info (name, email, birthday, URL etc.) based on industry standard vCard. And in fact that's all you need to solve the "re-enter all your personal info" problem for public sites - no need to authenticate public URLs via OpenID, just read them and parse their hCard(s).
	*''~~Doesn~~'t OpenID provide people with a way to create a globally unique identifier for themselves?''		== Do microformats or any standard make all my social info portable ==
	** It is URL (by way of DNS) that creates a globally unique identifier, not OpenID. ~~All~~ OpenID does is add ''authentication'' on top of having a URL that is itself a globally unique identifier, that is, OpenID is a way of asserting that you "own" or otherwise control a particular URL to another service/site. The essential quality of being a globally unique identifier is present in a URL even without OpenID. Thus, no, it is not OpenID that ''creates'' a ''globally unique identifier'', rather, simply using a ''URL'' creates a globally unique identifier. A URL ''by itself'' can be used as a basis for portable social networks, since it provides a way of referring to a single person that makes sense across the whole Web. And as such, people can (and will) create multiple URLs that represent them, so a method of enabling people to tie their URLs together (e.g. XFN's rel="me") becomes important. However, by adding authentication, OpenID can enhance existing globally unique identifier URLs for people, by permitting authenticated access to (perhaps more information in) profiles and social networks represented at those URLs using microformats.		''Do microformats or any standard make all my social info portable across social network sites?''
			* No, nor is it a goal to do so. The [[hcard\|hCard]] microformat can represent the 80% of common information across social network sites like name, birthday, URLs, interests etc., and just being able to share that common 80% is quite valuable. In addition, many social networking and social media sites add their own distinct value for the problems they solve, and it's unrealistic to expect a standard (any stanadard) to try to represent/share all that info in a 100% interoperable matter.

			== Does OpenID solve the re-enter your personal profile problem ==
			''Does [[OpenID]] solve the re-enter your personal profile info problem?''
			* No it does not. OpenID is fundamentally about proving to one site that you own or control another particular URL. Nothing more. All the profile stuff is extra and even then the specific property set is unspecified in OpenID. That's where [[hcard\|hCard]] comes in. hCard specifies a vocabulary of personal profile info (name, email, birthday, URL etc.) based on industry standard vCard. And in fact that's all you need to solve the "re-enter all your personal info" problem for public sites - no need to authenticate public URLs via OpenID, just read them and parse their hCard(s).

			== Does OpenID create a globally unique identifier for people ==
			''Does OpenID provide people with a way to create a globally unique identifier for themselves?''
			* OpenID does not <em>create</em> a globally unique identifier for a person. It is URL (by way of DNS) that <em>creates</em> a globally unique identifier (whether or a person or other purpose), not OpenID. What OpenID does do is add <em>authentication</em> on top of having a globally unique URL that is itself a globally unique identifier, that is, OpenID is a way of asserting that you "own" or otherwise control a particular URL to another service/site. The essential quality of being a globally unique identifier is present in a URL even without OpenID. Thus, no, it is not OpenID that ''creates'' a ''globally unique identifier'', rather, simply using a ''URL'' creates a globally unique identifier. A URL ''by itself'' can be used as a basis for portable social networks, since it provides a way of referring to a single person that makes sense across the whole Web. And as such, people can (and will) create multiple URLs that represent them, so a method of enabling people to tie their URLs together (e.g. [[XFN]]'s rel="me") becomes important. However, by adding authentication, OpenID can enhance existing globally unique identifier URLs for people, by permitting authenticated access to (perhaps more information in) profiles and social networks represented at those URLs using microformats.

Tantek: moved to separate page

2007-09-17T01:35:50Z

moved to separate page

New page

<h1> Social Network Portability FAQ </h1>
This page documents frequently asked questions (FAQ) about [[social network portability]].

*''Doesn't [http://openid.net/ OpenID] address the re-enter all your personal profile info problem?''
** No it does not. OpenID is fundamentally about proving to one site that you own or control another particular URL. Nothing more. All the profile stuff is extra and even then the specific property set is unspecified in OpenID. That's where [[hcard|hCard]] comes in. hCard specifies a vocabulary of personal profile info (name, email, birthday, URL etc.) based on industry standard vCard. And in fact that's all you need to solve the "re-enter all your personal info" problem for public sites - no need to authenticate public URLs via OpenID, just read them and parse their hCard(s).
*''Doesn't OpenID provide people with a way to create a globally unique identifier for themselves?''
** It is URL (by way of DNS) that creates a globally unique identifier, not OpenID. All OpenID does is add ''authentication'' on top of having a URL that is itself a globally unique identifier, that is, OpenID is a way of asserting that you "own" or otherwise control a particular URL to another service/site. The essential quality of being a globally unique identifier is present in a URL even without OpenID. Thus, no, it is not OpenID that ''creates'' a ''globally unique identifier'', rather, simply using a ''URL'' creates a globally unique identifier. A URL ''by itself'' can be used as a basis for portable social networks, since it provides a way of referring to a single person that makes sense across the whole Web. And as such, people can (and will) create multiple URLs that represent them, so a method of enabling people to tie their URLs together (e.g. XFN's rel="me") becomes important. However, by adding authentication, OpenID can enhance existing globally unique identifier URLs for people, by permitting authenticated access to (perhaps more information in) profiles and social networks represented at those URLs using microformats.