Re: Terminology poll

On 06/22/2017 01:28 PM, Steven Rowat wrote:
>> Claims terminology will be used in the Data Model spec:
>> 
>> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NWdpFxbERXZodvbJP_GgGZhkGI54zWmqTuFz-CR2hps/edit
>
>>
>> 
> In Role 2, in terms of it being a split role as David Chadwick 
> pointed out in the terminology playground comments:
> 
> Is it possible this could be a place for pseudonymity?

Yes, this is one of the places that supports pseudonymity/veranonymity.

> E.G, Role 2 would allow all of:
> 
> Holder of credential for my dog (Subject) Holder of credential for
> my Alzheimer parent (Subject) Holder of credential for my pseudonym 
> (Subject) etc.

Yes, Role 2 (Holder/Controller) allows all of these scenarios.

> If so, wouldn't it seem best to have a separate main word for each of
> those parts? E.G.  Holder+Subject, or Controller+Subject

We probably don't want to do this for the following reasons:

1) we don't follow the X/Y naming pattern anywhere else,
2) it may not be clear that we're talking about a single thing when
   spoken out loud (e.g. at conferences),
3) it reveals more complexity than we want to with our base terminology.

> Or even, go to having four roles rather than 3, so that it becomes 
> something like:
> 
> 1. Issuer 2. Controller 3. Subject 4. Evaluator

We technically do have all of those roles. The Subject is a role, but no
one is making the argument that we rename Subject.

Dave Longley and David Chadwick are making the argument that we may want
to express the Subject/Controller as the same entity in the simplified
model that we talk about w/ the general public. I believe you are making
an argument against that model, but I may be wrong.

> Role 3 isn't used if there's only 1 entity for both; but it can be 
> issued at any time by the Controller as a pseudonym.

Role 3 has to exist at all times in the Verifiable Claims ecosystem
because you can't have a Verifiable Claim without a Subject. The
importance of Roles in the ecosystem (using your list above) is:

1. Subject (required)
2. Issuer (required to create VCs)
3. Evaluator (required to analyze VCs)
4. Controller (required to receive/transmit VCs)

-- manu

-- 
Manu Sporny (skype: msporny, twitter: manusporny, G+: +Manu Sporny)
Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
blog: Rebalancing How the Web is Built
http://manu.sporny.org/2016/rebalancing/

Received on Friday, 23 June 2017 13:42:37 UTC