Data portability – 08 is the year?

Last year I kept using a “catchy” phrase Web 2 is Web Do which still stands. This year it would seem that data portability with all the talk of openid, Scoble and facebook, plaxo etc combined with the conversations in October about virtual world data interchange means that this year the phrase will have to be about migration and interoperability on social media of all sorts. Being able to have the stuff you own and need where you are when you need it.
“08 is about how to migrate” or migr8te or even…..
we may have to become Migr8tebar 🙂
I suspect it will not happen to quite the level anyone expects though technically moving data around and providing services is not overly tricky the complexity lies in the social fabric too. If I move to a place, 2d, 3d, 4d etc. How do I determine what I need or would like with me. How does what I take with me alter those around me. e.g. friend links in one arena may not be appropriate in another. Equally I think we might surprise ourselves by what happens when/if things do become more portable.
This ability to access things we already have will need to spread to the virtual worlds, in particular when used in a business of consumer context. Being able to re-use existing web applications and sites within a virtual world adding the benefit of avatar interactions will make a huge difference in a mass market.
That is less about data portability, but does introduce data access. It does happen in some of the virtual worlds, but we tend not to see embedded web browsing the massive public worlds. There are some security implications obviously but ot use the Second Life Parlence “web of a prim” would make a massive difference if it can be solved safely.

2 thoughts on “Data portability – 08 is the year?

  1. This is going to be a much bigger challenge than I think most people realize. Just organizing the effort seems daunting, since this will effect so many users and developers.

  2. @csven I agree it as a massive task. Though as the world has developed more into considering Services and API’s between web applications we have less in the way of locked down systems compiled to only work in a confined space. (as it was when i started work 18 years ago).
    It is the variety and volume that is the challenge, and when certain applications are happy to gather data in but not let it come out again.
    The data interchange is complex but easy compared to the social effects.
    e.g. last night in TV the BBC watchdog programme was exposing the sale of personal names and address data. We all know it happens. However it turns out the councils have to sell edited versions of the electoral role to anyone who asks. The Role that we are legally obliged to be part of.
    The aim of that access was to keep democracy and abuse of the system by declaring voters publicly. That works but is now being also used by others to hit people with tagretted marketing.
    Thats an unintened consequence. So I suspect there are a lot more hiding for us to discover.

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