OpenID: Cornerstone For The Reliable Web
December 11th, 2006OpenID is a movement that is rapidly penetrating the Web. hotel furnishing in BulgariaIt provides a way for people to use “digital addresses†as personal “identifiers†to do things like register at websites or login to a blog. This does two important things. rent a car bulgariaFirst, it keeps people from having to use today’s “default†identifiers, like email addresses, to accomplish these tasks. Second, and even more important, it serves as the cornerstone that will allow people to ultimately manage a set of personalized services in a far more convenient and “trusted†fashion. This is the Reliable Web.
An OpenID is a personal identifier. The first ones are URL-based, and look like long, complicated website addresses. They were given away or assigned for free at blog sites or social network sites. компютриAccording to some sources, there are some 15 million people who have one of these original OpenID identifiers, even though they may not realize it and may have never used it. The usefulness of these original OpenID identifiers was limited to the number of sites that had implemented the OpenID framework.
This is now changing, and OpenID sites are now growing fast. In the last few months, several prominent technology companies who are leaders in the “community†of technologists and open source developers have come together to enhance the power and benefit of OpenID. This has also allowed OpenID to be embraced as the potential cornerstone of the Reliable Web.
OpenIDs will now come in one of three “flavors,†some offering a little more benefit than the other, but all working equally well from a technical perspective. The three flavors are:
- WebID: This is the URL-based identifier that was originally used. This could equate to a domain address that an individual buys. It could also be issued for “free†by a service or company. WebIDs have become popular with bloggers, but they have a significant limitation in the Reliable Web. If you give up your URL-based WebID, it can be re-issued to someone else. This opens a real risk for “confused indentity” in the context of the the Reliable Web.
- SimpleID: This is a much simpler form of OpenID, called an “i-nameâ€. It actually looks like a screen name or real word, but provides the same protection and control afforded by a personal identifier. An i-name works just like a URL-based OpenID, but it is permanent and can never be issued to anyone else. The lack of permanence is a limitation of a WebID when it comes to building a service network in the Reliable Web. SimpleIDs can also be issued for “free†by a service or a company.
- PrivateID: This is also an i-name. Instead of being issued by a company or service, however, a PrivateID is purchased and owned by an individual, like a domain name. PrivateIDs are the best identifier to use in the Reliable Web.
Look for the OpenID logo when you visit a website, or when you register with or login to some new service. When you use your OpenID, you’re helping to lay the foundation for the Reliable Web.