[OpenID] OpenID based decentralized social networking

[Peter Williams]

Thanks for the context. I still have not really distinguished in my mind the "social networking" design features of OpenID, vs. implementation value-add But, My best effort to summarize the architecture as I understand it -  after 2 weeks - are at the end of what follows. I use X.800 nomenclature, a security vocabulary where I got my core training, or OASIS SAML terminology):-

Security Mechanisms

		OpenID Associations [Pairwise message-authentication-key or handle]

		OpenID Signature (Protocol) [Remote Operation to TTP message-authentication server]

		OpenID Discovery (Protocol) [Knowledge-based system, for determining authoritative name server & services]

		OpenID XRI Resolver (Protocol) [Knowledge-based proxy, handling UCIs in form of persistent https URIs]

Security Protocols

		OpenID Authentication [WebSSO flow using Redirect Binding]

		OpenID HTTP Authentication [ WebSSO flow using HTTP Authorization Binding]

		OpenID Exchange [ Attribute Authority flow]

Security Services

		OpenID WebSSO [OpenID Website Authentication in given Management Domain]

		OpenID WebServicesSSO [OpenID HTTP Authentication in given Management Domain]

		OpenID Exchange <Dependent Services> [Attribute contracts]

		OpenID Exchange for "Registration Personas" [Profiling contract]

		OpenID Exchange for "Social Networking" [Groupware contract]

Secure System for Social Networking

		OpenID WebSSO + Exchange + Groupware contract + microformats + semantic links + XRD file extensions + Firefox plugins