Re: Open, to Some

instone — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:58:29 -0000

Bryce - thanks for the posting, because it does raise some important issues around geography and "openness". Just enough ranting to get some attention, but not too-personal of an attack.

I see it as a sign of the maturity of the technology. If they can get a critical mass of experts at their meeting like this, then more power to them. As the technology matures, the expertise and interest will become spread out and the group will have to plan ahead more, serve the whole US (and the globe!) with their meetings, as so on.

Columbus is nice, but not nice enough to fly a bunch of Californians there for a meeting.

So, this specific meeting does not cause me any concern. I am more interested in WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. If the technology is to catch on, then experts in industries (like banks), in other domains (like, duh, user experience) and in other parts of the world will have to get involved. If the technology is to catch on, then it will have to switch from "tech spec" mode to "evangelism / teaching" mode.

THAT is where we (Ohioans) can come in. That is where the Valley experts need to "put on a roadshow" to visit places like Ohio. Spread the good word about OAuth, tell those local bankers what it can do for them. We can be ready to host them.

Then further over time, the expertise and interest will be more evenly distributed geographically. There will need to be OAuth sessions at existing events around the world. There might be an annual conference devoted to it. If there is a critical mass of OAuth interest in a city like Columbus, because of its local businesses, then it could host that meeting.

All of these things take time. I know that I could move to the Valley to be a part of these early activities. They are indeed exciting! But I prefer to stay here in "the heartland" and wait for when the technology is mature enough to "play in Peoria" and actually make the world a better place.

To the OAuth folks - you can consider me your local Toledo, Ohio, contact. When the time is right to come visit us here, contact me. We have a lot of traditional manufacturing, fading automotive companies, several quality universities, and emerging transportation and green energy industries.

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Re: Open, to Some