Transcript OpenDSN Revisited: The Open, Distributed Social Networking

OpenDSN Revisited: The Open,
Distributed Social Networking
Protocol
By Zach Broderick and
Tim Hickey
What is OpenDSN?
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An open, standard, platform independent
protocol based on XML and HTTP that allows
independent social networks to communicate
with each other
Background:
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Explosive growth in social networking over
the past few years
Facebook, MySpace some of the most
visited sites on the internet
Why is social networking not integrated into
our lives like it has the potential to?
Answer: Lack of Standards
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Standards essential to growth and integration
in computer science
Think IBM PC, TCP/IP, W3C
There is no social networking standard
protocol
Monolithic entities rule, do not communicate
with each other
Problems
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Ownership of information
Redundancy
Monopolies/Economies of scale
Previous Work
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OpenID
Ning
Facebook Connect
OpenSocial
Introducing OpenDSN
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Communication protocol between
independent networks via HTTP/XML
Does not impose restrictions on platform,
design, or functionality
One set of login credentials, single sign on
Only have to enter info/upload content once
Automatically synced
Control over information privacy
How does it work?
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Users join a trusted, heavyweight “Home
Network”
Lightweight, independent “Satellite Networks”
pull information and content from Home
Network
Home Network
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Stores, manages, and serves up all personal
information and content
Can be hosted on own server for maximum
privacy
Controls access to profile information from
Satellite Networks
Handles login and authentication
Satellite Networks
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Sign up by specifying URL of Home Network
All profile content pulled from Home; nothing stored
on Satellite
Log in once via Home Network
Allows for anyone to easily create their own network
and plug in instantly to internet-wide network
Eliminates redundancy and protects information
The Protocol
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A standard way for Home and Satellite
networks to communicate
Tasks include establishing credentials,
transferring login and session data, and
sending profile information
Profile data and content encoded in standard
XML
Example: Profile Picture Request
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Satellite asks home network for latest pictures from a
members profile
Home checks to see which pics Satellite allowed to
see, responds with XML
<picture>
<caption>At the Beach!</caption>
<date>8/14/08</date>
<URL>http://homenetwork.com/pic1292</URL>
</picture>
Demonstration and Questions