Re: RFC: tent.io (protocol for social networking)

On 24 September 2012 10:25, Daniel Harris <daniel@kendra.org.uk> wrote:

> Is anyone aware of http://tent.io ? What are your thoughts?
>

Really like it.  This is the kind of solution that has been advocated by
people like Tim Berners-Lee for some time.  Main difference is that tent
uses http urls to describe a user.

They also have put a lot of work into the message and documentation.


>
> Tent looks really interesting in it's solution: "Tent is a protocol for
> social networking. Tent is open, decentralized, and built for the future."
>

Most of the FSW projects use the newly proposed acct: scheme to describe a
user, and relies on webfinger.  HTTP is proven over 2 decades and mature,
acct: is relatively untested, indeed, it's not even an IETF approved scheme
yet.  Not saying it's *bad* but definitely living on the bleeding edge,
with a smaller network effect.


>
> Does it play nice with current technology?
>

It's only version 0.1 but shows promise for now.  Let's see if they try and
interop with anything other than themselves, which is the acid test, imho.


>
> Can it be integrated with the FedSocWeb solutions we've talked about on
> this list?
>

Theoretically possible.  But these things can take time.


>
> Are there other people with similar approaches?
>

Sure, FOAF has been using a simiar approach (http as identity) for over 10
years with mixed success, and has about 100 million profiles.  In fact many
FSW projects support a baseline FOAF.

Facebook uses a similar approach with the open graph, but have really
mastered authentication and a permissioned application framework

We're also working on some solutions in the read write web community group
...

http://www.w3.org/community/rww/wiki/Social_Systems

Hopefully in the long term all the solutions that stick around, will try to
talk to each other ...