The open web

A favorite buzzword among people and technology companies trying to develop a better Web and happier users and/or stockholders.

"open source"

OpenID

Facebook Connect

OAuth

Yahoo! Open Strategy

What they are and whether I think they're useful.

Maybe also: MIT OpenCourseWare and OpenStreetMap.

January 23, 2009

Made with S5: A Simple Standards-Based Slide Show System.

"open source"

some context...

Open source software

organized in the 1980s

codified sharing of code

everybody uses it!

licensing gets complicated

that's ok

Creative Commons (2001)

also complicated

but people like it

So

you got the backend and the frontend, but now what?

authentication and identity

now: logging into websites!

OpenID (2005)

a standard; decentralized

you are an URL

blog comments - antispam

Let's log into LiveJournal using my Yahoo! OpenID

people like it

what's wrong with it?

tricky to use

phishing: training and vulnerabilities

which providers are trustworthy?

consumers and providers have different requirements

benefits of fragmentation

authentication and identity

more logging into websites!

Facebook Connect (2008)

centralized

like OpenID, carry your identity with you

also blog comments - antispam

Let's comment on Lifehacker using my Facebook ID

people are wary

what's wrong with it?

well, it is easy to use

Facebook getting a little more open? maybe

depends on Facebook

Google Friend Connect is similar, but I've never seen it in use

authentication and identity

and now...logging into mashups!

OAuth (2006)

an "open protocol"

protect your identity

avoid the password antipattern

Let's try it on MOO with my Flickr account

people like it. it is easy to use.

what's wrong with it?

well, I like it

tricky to retrofit old APIs

phishing training again

how often do people really need to do this?

corporate branding

and now...strategy

Yahoo! Open Strategy (2008)

(my division is unrelated; no inside info)

an understanding that people like open

"attract the most publishers and developers"

unify the social experience across products

new APIs that help developers use and participate in Y!

sounds good; people are a little skeptical

what's interesting about it?

using "open" to brand general improvements

fancy charts

ambitious

other bits

and now...the world

MIT OpenCourseWare

OpenStreetMap