Re: Naming Clash: The W3C Web 3.0 Stack and "Web3"

po 17. 7. 2023 v 17:06 odesílatel Eric Rescorla <ekr@rtfm.com> napsal:

> Melvin,
>
> I am no particular fan of Web3 (to put it mildly), but I don't really
> agree with this.
>
> Web3 as a term covers a huge space, and I agree that the
> cryptocurrency and NFT stuff don't really have much to do with the
> Web. However, there's another strand of work around decentralized data
> storage, computation, etc. (the stuff that's often called
> "decentralized Web") that actually has a fair bit in common with what
> the Web provides. I'm skeptical of the technical feasibility [0]--and
> in some cases the desirability--of this work, but if it were in fact
> successful, I don't think it would necessarily be accurate to say it's
> not the Web.
>
> The substance of the situation aside, I think it would mostly make the
> TAG look silly to come down and say "Web3 is not the Web", especially
> if it's done in service of defending Semantic Web. Depending on their
> overlap with the work of W3C, it might or might not be appropriate for
> the TAG to make technical critiques of these technologies, but I
> it's the TAG's place, or particularly helpful, to burn energy
> trying to defend the brand name "Web".
>

The term "Web3" has gained increasing attention, presenting itself as the
next evolutionary step of the World Wide Web. However, a deeper analysis
reveals concerning aspects that raise questions about its legitimacy and
alignment with the principles that have shaped the web thus far.

1 Lack of Vendor Neutrality and Royalty-Free Standards:

The hallmark of the W3C's web stack has been its commitment to vendor
neutrality and royalty-free standards. Unlike Web3 projects that rely on
blockchain and token dependencies, the protocols of the W3C web stack do
not directly enrich the authors of the specifications. This crucial
distinction ensures that web technologies serve the greater good, fostering
innovation without hidden agendas and conflicts of interest. Embracing Web3
would jeopardize this time-tested principle and could potentially lead to
biased, profit-driven standards that benefit only a select few.

2 Affinity Scam Exploitation:

Web3 projects capitalize on the familiarity and trust established by the
World Wide Web to promote their token sales deceptively. This affinity scam
lures unsuspecting individuals into believing that Web3 is a natural
extension of the web they know, encouraging substantial investments. Such
exploitation tarnishes the reputation of the open web and undermines
genuine efforts to create a better internet. To protect users and preserve
the integrity of the web, the W3C must continue to distance itself from the
Web3 term and educate the public about the risks associated with affinity
scams.

The concept of Web3 as a revolutionary and trustworthy advancement is far
from reality. Its inherent flaws, driven by blockchain and token
dependencies, and its affinity scam tendencies raise red flags that require
attention. As the driving force behind web standards, the W3C should take a
firm stance against endorsing or promoting Web3. Instead, it should
continue to champion vendor neutrality, royalty-free standards, and
transparency to ensure that the web remains an inclusive and innovative
space for all.

In short, the fundamental distinction lies in the financial incentives: W3C
authors do not directly profit from items within the protocol, while Web3
authors consistently enrich themselves through block chains and tokens that
are part of the specifications. Author premined chains and tokens, or ICOs,
are always present in Web3 protocols.  This contrast reinforces the
imperative for the W3C to disassociate from Web3 and safeguard the
integrity of the open web for the betterment of all internet users.

>
>
> -Ekr
>
>
> [0] https://educatedguesswork.org/posts/challenges-web-decentralization/
>
> On Mon, Jul 17, 2023 at 2:31 AM Melvin Carvalho <melvincarvalho@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Recently the W3C linked data and the semantic web stack, commonly known
>> as "Web 3.0" has come into a naming clash with the term "web3"
>>
>> I was wondering if the W3C TAG could take a more definitive stance on
>> this matter, recognizing the nuances, lack of education, and conflicts of
>> interest that may exist among W3C members.
>>
>> In support of this request, I would like to highlight comments I would
>> like to highlight recent comments made by Tim Berners-Lee and Roy Fielding
>> regarding the term "Web3." Tim (according to CNBC), expressed his view that
>> we should "ignore the Web3 stuff" and stated that "Web3 is not the web at
>> all." [1]
>>
>> Similarly, Roy Fielding characterized Web3 as a scam, emphasizing the
>> importance of not giving it any form of respectability. [2].
>>
>> Highly respected former TAG member Alex Russell:
>>
>> "A few months ago I tried to get current and past members of the @w3ctag
>> to sign onto a statement that, in effect, read "'web3' isn't the web;
>> please kindly stop web-washing". [3]
>>
>> Having in-depth knowledge with both W3C linked data effort, and
>> distributed payments technology, for over a decade, I couldn't agree more
>> with these sentiments.
>>
>> Furthermore, the term is increasingly creeping into standards discussions
>> in multiple W3C groups, so it might be a good opportunity for the TAG to
>> weigh in with some opinion a bit more.
>>
>> Considering the strong viewpoints expressed by these influential figures
>> in the web community, it may be an opportune time for the W3C TAG to go
>> beyond previous statements and take a more decisive position in rejecting
>> the term "Web3." I acknowledge that there may be varying interpretations
>> and perspectives surrounding Web3, but it is essential to address any
>> potential confusion or misrepresentation to maintain the integrity and
>> clarity of the W3C's work.
>>
>> I suggest the W3C TAG consider this naming clash, and/or engage in an
>> open discussion, to provide guidance and education to the web community to
>> address any misunderstandings associated with Web3. By doing so, the W3C
>> can play a role in ensuring that the web's evolution remains aligned with
>> its core principles and values.
>>
>> tl;dr Web3 isn't the web, could we just come out and say that?
>>
>> [1]  CNBC - "Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee wants us to ignore 'Web3'" -
>> [Link to Article](
>> https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/04/web-inventor-tim-berners-lee-wants-us-to-ignore-web3.html
>> )
>> [2]  IETF URI Review Mail Archive - [Link to Roy Fielding's Comment](
>> https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/msg/uri-review/4Sj8k6rLZzqZsGgMEe6fLM-wE4U/
>> )
>> [3] Twitter - https://twitter.com/slightlylate/status/1478099457304449025
>>
>