Open identification
DLTQ.org: “MSN Spaces, please open your walled gardens”
I agree that there are quite a few people who would like to keep their privacy, so that is not the main issue. My question to MSN Spaces is rather: Why only MSN messenger?
Perhaps I was too fuzzy when I asked my question regarding authentication and authorization at Moz’ talk at Bloggforum, but I was basically wondering the same thing. It’s pretty obvious why they use the MSN messenger account and not something else, since this mean they control all components which makes it very easy to implement. The hard part is to distribute authentication. How can I verify that I am me, so that you can give only me access. And are they willing to do this? Perhaps Moz didn’t understand me or I didn’t understand his answer, but it seemed to me that they are not.
In the comments, Jessica Börjel, product manager for MSN Spaces in Sweden, answered that they indeed are working with others (aka the third parties), for instance Yahoo, which was news to me.
MSN and Yahoo users can now chat with eachother:
For instant messaging fans, this rates right up there with the Berlin Wall.
Yeah, I am actually happy, and others will be as well, but at the same time, something really stupid we built ourselves, we are now celebrating that we can tear down.
I am guessing this will apply to more than just instant messaging, like MSN Spaces privacy. It is perhaps a step in the right direction to let you authorize a Yahoo id to see your MSN Spaces blog, but then what? Another big company? Google id?
I want to see an open standard, something like OpenID. I know there is more to it than just identity, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. Since Microsoft surely have the resources to pull off something like this, if they do, then everyone will follow, but only if it is an open standard.
I regret not going to Loïc Le Meur’s talk and asking him the same question. SixApart has TypeKey, which is not totally different from Microsoft Passport (which I am guessing defines a MSN messenger user), but they also employ Brad Fitzpatrick, the main designer of OpenID, so maybe I would have already known the answer to my question.
If you are even slightly interested in anything related to these kinds of problems, you will love Dick Hardt’s talk on Identity 2.0 at OSCON 2005.
November 28th, 2005 at 7:17
Just so you know, TypeKey supports OpenID, and all TypeKey profiles are OpenID-enabled. So we’re absolutely backing the open standard, and we’ve provided the technology, the documentation, and the sample code to prove it. Hope that answers your question.