Re: Threat of Code of Conduct Violation (was Re: Goals and Requirements for DID Method Standardization?)

Re: Michael, if you or anyone else wishes to discuss this further please reach out privately to the chairs

I did. Several times now.

Re: Indeed I believe the only way to claim and contest an unregistered trademark is through legal action.

Not true. It would have been better to reach to me or received advice from another source. It is antagonistic to state this.

If this is your justification for "have the perception that you threatened legal action to get your desired outcome here", it's based on false assumptions.

Re: It saddens me to see the diff that Brian referenced and understand more clearly your intentions- https://www.diffchecker.com/ekbLbFlD/.


This is the way I've created all of my DID Method registrations. It meets all of the requirements. There are no known issues with either the template or the approach. As reviewers provide feedback, I update my template as well as any related previous DID Method descriptions. This is in fact how several if not a majority of DID Method specifications are produced - using an existing spec as a template or baseline.

I find Brian's email and your support also to be antagonistic.

Lastly, I have proactively and positively produced a proposed solution for avoiding this very situation in the future: https://github.com/w3c/did-extensions/issues/597


Sincerely,
Michael Herman
Web 7.0 Foundation / Trusted Digital Web



Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>
________________________________
From: Will Abramson <will@legreq.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2024 4:14:24 AM
To: Harrison <harrison@spokeo.com>
Cc: Michael Herman (Trusted Digital Web) <mwherman@parallelspace.net>; Brian Richter <brian@aviary.tech>; W3C Credentials CG <public-credentials@w3.org>; Kim Hamilton Duffy <kim@identity.foundation>; Markus Sabadello <markus@danubetech.com>; Daniel Burnett <danielcburnett@gmail.com>; Gabe.L.Cohen@gmail.com <gabe.l.cohen@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Threat of Code of Conduct Violation (was Re: Goals and Requirements for DID Method Standardization?)

MIchael,

I wanted to echo what Harrison has said and add a few thoughts of my own.

We take code-of-conduct violations seriously at the CCG. However, I find your response to Manu's initial email reporting out on the DID Method Standardization work strange and things have only seemed to escalate from there. As Markus Sabadello, the chair of the group, himself stated he has no problem with Manu's email. That should have been the end of the matter.

Unfortunately, in this thread, it is your behaviour that I find challenging. Calling Manu a liar and attacking his character on this public forum is unacceptable. If you have concerns about the behaviour of a community member, please bring those to the chairs and we will handle them appropriately.

I wholeheartedly support the comments of others in this thread commending Manu for his tireless, consistent contributions to the community, open standards and the broader identity ecosystem. While we may not always agree with Manu, I find it hard to understand how anyone can question his integrity and commitment.

On the matter of the unregistered trademark, I too was disappointed to see your comments on issue #581 and commend Stephen and co for their willingness to compromise to keep the work moving forward. I had hoped that would be the end of the matter. It saddens me to see the diff that Brian referenced and understand more clearly your intentions- https://www.diffchecker.com/ekbLbFlD/. I too have the perception that you threatened legal action to get your desired outcome here. Indeed I believe the only way to claim and contest an unregistered trademark is through legal action.

I would encourage you to reconsider how you show up and collaborate with others in this community.

Please let us draw a line under this.
Michael, if you or anyone else wishes to discuss this further please reach out privately to the chairs.

Thank you,
Will Abramson

On Tue, Nov 26, 2024 at 8:51 PM Harrison <harrison@spokeo.com<mailto:harrison@spokeo.com>> wrote:
Dear Michael,

As the W3C CCG co-chair, I would like to acknowledge your concerns and opinions.  Upon reviewing the email thread, I do not see any code-of-conduct violation from Manu.  W3C CCG is an open, inclusive, and psychologically safe place to discuss, incubate, and work on identity-related technologies wherever it comes from.  We would continue to encourage you, Manu, and everyone else to continue sharing identity-related news and developments across all communities around the world.

If you feel differently about my opinion above, please feel free to reach out to me at harrison@spokeo.com<mailto:harrison@spokeo.com> or any of the co-chairs directly.  It is okay to have different perspectives on an issue, but let's focus our discussion on the merits of the matter, not people, because I am positive that all community members here have good faith.  After all, none of us is getting paid to volunteer our time and efforts into this, and we are putting in the hard work because we share the same self-sovereign-identity vision.

Sincerely,

[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4zbpOgJ2VNqSsQ0g_Q1-rSSQqnvaqW5IWx34tbIk3bje1CCz2c0P-9anaFwV2mD7Id2hXK9W_M]
Harrison Tang
CEO
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4xOihysBkakpnNCV83lh5k-BA2nIdtnxjRf9OB1QpTR5DgL4DVZw9h42WORI1y1u3k-mET9llU] LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/spokeo/>  •  [https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4zJfa-OdgUgkoPHyeRnI_fsi4ggb2WAeUSgahHaYBdpNeHGDQ6FufGadPTmg4mD48alQ0B9hBY]  Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/spokeo/>  •  [https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4zq91O6GESEVuzRSXj2X19kEjGocCNPO5VJ2HDdvdCmYWNSyIM0wVlTjsM8qsxJ4uZdPDxJ-9Y]  Youtube<https://bit.ly/2oh8YPv>


On Mon, Nov 25, 2024 at 5:42 PM Michael Herman (Trusted Digital Web) <mwherman@parallelspace.net<mailto:mwherman@parallelspace.net>> wrote:

RE: “pass off”



Brian, is one of the following your intended meaning of “pass off”?



[cid:ii_1936681745e5b006a1]



Michael Herman

Web 7.0 Foundation / TDW



From: Michael Herman (Trusted Digital Web) <mwherman@parallelspace.net<mailto:mwherman@parallelspace.net>>
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2024 6:26 PM
To: Brian Richter <brian@aviary.tech>
Cc: W3C Credentials CG <public-credentials@w3.org<mailto:public-credentials@w3.org>>; Kim Hamilton Duffy <kim@identity.foundation>; Markus Sabadello <markus@danubetech.com<mailto:markus@danubetech.com>>; Will Abramson <will@legreq.com<mailto:will@legreq.com>>; Daniel Burnett <danielcburnett@gmail.com<mailto:danielcburnett@gmail.com>>; Gabe.L.Cohen@gmail.com<mailto:Gabe.L.Cohen@gmail.com>
Subject: RE: Threat of Code of Conduct Violation (was Re: Goals and Requirements for DID Method Standardization?)



  1.  My use of the terms TDW and “Trusted Digital Web” date back to December 2018 and they have been in continuous use since that time – approximately 5-6 years ago.

Reference: https://github.com/w3c/did-extensions/pull/581#issuecomment-2462828639


Reference: https://hyperonomy.com/2018/12/31/the-trusted-digital-web/




  1.  The date of your earliest PR is only ~7 months ago (per your link below).
  2.  RE: After stumbling upon your recent copy-and-paste of one of your other DID method specs (link<https://github.com/Web7Foundation/Specifications/blob/main/methods/did-tdw-1-0-1.md>), as is clearly shown here<https://www.diffchecker.com/ekbLbFlD/>, your intention to "pass off" as did:tdw in the future is clear. I strongly urge you to back off, as the mountain of evidence in the first link above will show that the term "did:tdw" was not coined at the Web 7 Foundation.

@Brian Richter<mailto:brian@aviary.tech>
3a. What do you mean by the remark “pass off”? …and what is your basis for penning this remark?
3b. Why or how is the remark “copy-and-paste of one of your other DID method specs” relevant to this discussion?
3c. How/why is the method used to prepare a DID Method specification relevant to this discussion?

Best regards,
Michael Herman
Web 7.0 Foundation / TDW



From: Brian Richter <brian@aviary.tech<mailto:brian@aviary.tech>>
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2024 5:14 PM
To: Michael Herman (Trusted Digital Web) <mwherman@parallelspace.net<mailto:mwherman@parallelspace.net>>
Cc: Kim Hamilton <kimdhamilton@gmail.com<mailto:kimdhamilton@gmail.com>>; W3C Credentials CG <public-credentials@w3.org<mailto:public-credentials@w3.org>>; Kim Hamilton Duffy <kim@identity.foundation<mailto:kim@identity.foundation>>; Markus Sabadello <markus@danubetech.com<mailto:markus@danubetech.com>>; Will Abramson <will@legreq.com<mailto:will@legreq.com>>; Daniel Burnett <danielcburnett@gmail.com<mailto:danielcburnett@gmail.com>>; Gabe.L.Cohen@gmail.com<mailto:Gabe.L.Cohen@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Threat of Code of Conduct Violation (was Re: Goals and Requirements for DID Method Standardization?)



Michael,

Some thoughts:

  1.  Having spent the better part of a year developing a DID method that has been gaining global recognition (see here<https://github.com/search?q=did%3Atdw&type=pullrequests>), it was heartbreaking to see your objection to the name. While I'm confident you have no legal right to this three-letter acronym, we backed down so that we could continue to move our work forward. You took this as a win and that you are right... okay, fine, go ahead.
  2.  While reading this thread, I was disappointed to see you attacking a community member for simply reiterating his account of a meeting and proposing steps to move things forward, as he has consistently done for over 10 years. Luckily, Manu has proven he has thick skin, as I don't think I would personally be participating in this community if I received the amount of pushback he does. It's admirable, honestly.
  3.  After stumbling upon your recent copy-and-paste of one of your other DID method specs (link<https://github.com/Web7Foundation/Specifications/blob/main/methods/did-tdw-1-0-1.md>), as is clearly shown here<https://www.diffchecker.com/ekbLbFlD/>, your intention to "pass off" as did:tdw in the future is clear. I strongly urge you to back off, as the mountain of evidence in the first link above will show that the term "did:tdw" was not coined at the Web 7 Foundation.

I am not an expert on W3C or DIF's code of conduct, but I do know your behavior violates my personal code of conduct. Your actions come across as bullying and undermine the collaborative spirit of our community.

Thanks,

Brian




On Mon, Nov 25, 2024 at 1:58 PM Kim Hamilton <kimdhamilton@gmail.com<mailto:kimdhamilton@gmail.com>> wrote:

Sorry Michael, these are different organizations; the conversation can’t be moved so simply. I will await the outcome from this community.



On Mon, Nov 25, 2024 at 1:55 PM Michael Herman (Trusted Digital Web) <mwherman@parallelspace.net<mailto:mwherman@parallelspace.net>> wrote:

The discussion has moved to here: https://github.com/decentralized-identity/did-methods/issues/9


-----Original Message-----
From: Manu Sporny <msporny@digitalbazaar.com<mailto:msporny@digitalbazaar.com>>
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2024 12:44 PM
To: Michael Herman (Trusted Digital Web) <mwherman@parallelspace.net<mailto:mwherman@parallelspace.net>>
Cc: W3C Credentials CG <public-credentials@w3.org<mailto:public-credentials@w3.org>>; Kim Hamilton Duffy <kim@identity.foundation<mailto:kim@identity.foundation>>; Markus Sabadello <markus@danubetech.com<mailto:markus@danubetech.com>>; Will Abramson <will@legreq.com<mailto:will@legreq.com>>; Daniel Burnett <danielcburnett@gmail.com<mailto:danielcburnett@gmail.com>>; Gabe.L.Cohen@gmail.com<mailto:Gabe.L.Cohen@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Threat of Code of Conduct Violation (was Re: Goals and Requirements for DID Method Standardization?)

Manu wrote:
> If you would like to file a code of conduct violation, please do.

On Mon, Nov 25, 2024 at 12:46 PM Michael Herman (Trusted Digital Web) <mwherman@parallelspace.net<mailto:mwherman@parallelspace.net>> wrote:
> MWH>> I have and will further submit the above additional 3 claims.

Good, thank you for following the community process. I trust that it will result in a just outcome.

I will not be responding to this thread, your baseless accusations, or your bullying. Do not engage with me on this mailing list and do not send me any more personal email.

The Chairs will take it from here.

-- manu

--
Manu Sporny - https://www.linkedin.com/in/manusporny/

Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
https://www.digitalbazaar.com/