This page is devoted to links to resources about the emerging DataWeb.
Contents
About the Dataweb
This is a collection of links to resources about the Dataweb (so named because it extends the fundamental distributed linking architecture of the Web beyond human-processable content sharing to machine-processable data sharing instead). Dataweb technology is evolving quickly, so this page is guaranteed to continue evolving as well.
It is also important to point out that while XRI/XDI Dataweb technology is a promising new architecture for distributed data sharing and collaboration, it is only just starting to appear in the marketplace. It is attracting interest due to the way it applies the proven architectural model of the Web to solving the hard, complex problems of automated cross-domain data interchange, control, and synchronization. The larger, more diverse, or more dynamic the distributed data sharing network, the better the Dataweb model fits the requirements.
Introductory Pages
The best short introductions to XRIs and XDI are on the XDI.ORG site:
An Introduction to I-Names and I-Numbers - This is part of the introduction to the XDI.ORG Global Services Specifications that explains in detail the fundamental reasons for needing both i-names and i-numbers.
Wikipedia Pages
White Papers
Two white papers about the Dataweb and XRI/XDI technology are available:
The Dataweb: An Introduction to XDI - the foundational white paper of the OASIS XDI TC (March 2004).
The Social Web: Building an Open Social Network with XDI - written by members of the XDI TC and published in the PlaNetwork Journal (July 2004).
XRI Specifications
The OASIS XRI TC has approved the XRI 2.0 specifications as a Committee Draft and are now in an OASIS public review period. These specifications, including XRI Syntax 2.0, XRI Resolution 2.0, and XRI Metadata 2.0, plus a new "Introduction to XRIs" paper, are all linked directly off the XRI TC home page.
Note that these specifications are based on the new RFC 3986 (URI) and RFC 3987 (IRI) specifications, both passed in January by the IETF.
XDI Specifications
The XDI TC is currently producing its first draft specifications. The XDI schema, tutorials on the XDI graph, and other basic building block documents are available via the public document repository. See also the XDI FAQ.
XDI.ORG Global Services Specifications (GSS)
XDI.ORG has published thespecifications for the XRI/XDI Global Services it will be offering. These specs, starting with the Introduction page, contain a great deal of material that helps in understanding the purpose and architecture of XRI/XDI infrastructure.
XRI/XDI Software Development Projects
The Identity Commons I-Broker Wiki is devoted entirely to an open source XRI/XDI i-broker project. Contributors include 2idi, Blue Oxen Associates, Cordance, ooTao, AmSoft, and NeuStar.
XRI/XDI Service Providers (I-Brokers)
The first operating i-broker (and operator of the Identity Commons early registration program for i-names) is 2idi.
Other XDI-Related Sites
OpenSource/Resources - wikis, mailing lists and other pointers
Blogs
Several XRI and XDI TC members maintain blogs covering XRI/XDI topics:
The Tao of XDI Andy Dale
Stream of Consciousness Fen Labalme
Equals Drummond Drummond Reed