[DotGNU]Re: Jabber identity/authorization framework

[Michael Hearn]

Hi there Norbert,

> Via Adam's website I have found this document by Michael Hearn:
> http://jab.sirlabs.com/bin/view/JIGs/JIS/HailstormCompetitorDoc

Yes, I wrote that as a purely theoretical paper. At the moment we are not
planning on implementing it anytime soon.

> To Michael Hearn:  Perhaps you would be interested in joining the
> DotGNU project?  (See http://dotgnu.org for some info)

Thanks for the offer Norbert, but at the moment I have my hands full! We are
not attempting to build a competitor to .NET (which imho is technically
inferior to Mozilla for reasons I won't go into here anyway), but a
replacement for the obsolete vCard identity system we currently use on the
Jabber network. That's a pretty small goal but it's already taking up most
of my time! :) A Passport like system comes next, and then maybe HailStorm
like services someday in the future.

> - I see from the "Jabber As Middleware" page http://jabber.org/?oid=532
>   that the Jabber communication system (at least currently) does not
>   seem to be designed to be reliable enough for what we need in the
>   DotGNU project.

Possibly, but how reliable do you need it to be? I mean, I've never lost
messages on the network except when the person I'm talking to is doing wierd
and unusual things like recompiling their OS or reprogramming their chat
client :)

> - Jabber has a client/server architecture.  It is important to avoid
>   that in the identity/authorization framework of the DotGNU project.

Yes and no, in that email is a client/server architecture in one respect,
but also peer-to-peer in terms of how the servers communicate. I believe the
system Jabber and email uses is a good compromise.

Bear in mind that we are planning a decentralised identity system. So for
instance, your account could be on any server you like (including running
your own if you must), and websites and services communicate with that
account without any centralisation at all. Authorization (which may be
accomplished through 3rd parties) again would be decentralised and you could
choose any organisation you liked to accomplish authorization.

> - Licensing.  As far as possible, all components of the DotGNU system
>   should use the GNU GPL.

Much of the Jabber software is either GPL'd or JOSL'd which is basically the
same thing.

Once again thanks for the offer, but my priorities currently lie elsewhere.
Also I don't really like Linux or .NET which I'm guessing would be something
of a problem!

thanks -mike