If you’re worried about the freedom of your data in today’s web services — data on sites like Facebook, MySpace, Google docs and more — you’re not alone. We’ve written repeatedly about the need for sites to open up data and there are several active groups designed to promote open technologies, like OpenID, OAuth and others.
One group that has been conspicuously absent from the debate however, is the granddaddy of user rights champions — the Free Software Foundation (FSF). But that’s changing with a new group known as Autonomo.us. The only question is: is it too late to matter?
Although Autonomo.us is technically a separate entity, not officially affiliated with the FSF, the groups’ new blog says that:
-- While the group is working independently and the statement does not yet represent FSF policy, the FSF will continue to work closely with and within the group, with FSF members, and with the free software community to help inform and refine its strategy and continue to provide leadership in regards to software freedom and network services. --
The members of Autonomo.us range from Novell employees to FSF member to representative from the GNOME Foundation and the Creative Commons foundation.
The stated goal of the group is to “explore the problems and issues raised by network technologies,” but beyond a few guideline for developers there isn’t much to Autonomo.us
Reading through the wiki and related “Franklin Street Statement on Freedom and Network Services,” it would seem that the idea is apply the principles of the free software movement to the various sorts of web services, social networks and other sites that are fast replacing the desktop software that has long been the concern of related groups like the FSF.
Probably the most interesting point in the Franklin Street Statement is the suggestion that developers create “software that can replace centralized services and data storage with distributed software and data deployment, giving control back to users.”
Of course that’s also the goal of groups like Chris Messina’s DiSo project and in this case Autonomo.us is a bit late to the game. Rather than spending their time on grandiose statements, the DiSo Project and others like are already distributing code that just works.
Which isn’t to say that having Autonomo.us join the discussion isn’t helpful, but the web moves much faster than desktop software and it remains to be seen if the principles of desktop software can guide the development of an open web.If you’re worried about the freedom of your data in today’s web services... more
