I have been working on a centralized identity system at https://www.credport.org, and a question that is always looming my mind is:
Can identity systems be designed? Can they be explicitly built or are they a by-product?
Arguably, the biggest (consumer) identity systems out there (Facebook, Twitter, Google) have not been designed to be identity systems but ultimately turned out so. The biggest designed and most open solution, OpenID, has seen very limited traction.
In many ways, the broad majority of consumers probably don't care much about the great (and awesome) implications of identity systems and what would be possible if people were to work together by having a broadly accepted identity system.
The way we are currently going about it is to always have these implications in mind, but work extremely hard to provide value to both consumers and producers outside that realm.
That's because people like you go out and reinvent the wheel and create yet another centralized platform instead of implementing an existing decentralized option. It's hubris. Facebook wants to manage my identity. Its no shocker that they don't implement an identity system that they don't control.
If you're not paying, you are the product. That includes your identity and that includes forcing others to go through them when they want your identity. That's annoying. Implement BrowaerID please.
Can identity systems be designed? Can they be explicitly built or are they a by-product?
Arguably, the biggest (consumer) identity systems out there (Facebook, Twitter, Google) have not been designed to be identity systems but ultimately turned out so. The biggest designed and most open solution, OpenID, has seen very limited traction.
In many ways, the broad majority of consumers probably don't care much about the great (and awesome) implications of identity systems and what would be possible if people were to work together by having a broadly accepted identity system.
The way we are currently going about it is to always have these implications in mind, but work extremely hard to provide value to both consumers and producers outside that realm.