ubiquitous identity
I remember back in the days when everyone was using ICQ on their dial up machines, one night a big giant called microsoft suddenly took over the sky of the web and had everyone using MSN. I also remember when I started using MSN I was so amazed by how the amazing free hotmail allowed me to import contact from my MSN messenger. It was a glorious year. I was a teenager, I was hooked that moment on. I also remember the day when I started using google instead of altavista, how I was amazed by google’s inner beauty other than its search engine. (*note: Altavista gets a link because I didn’t even think the site exists still)
I remember reading news online and loved how yahoo organized its categories, until one day I found out about RSS and had all my news send to me right to my machine in my own categorization. One day I realized that I do not need to read the news on MSN frontpage when I log in to check my email, and later on I realized I can have great email service by the infamous google. The media war went on. What’s the best way and fastest way to have information send to people? With15.7 million Internet users in 2002, MSN/Microsoft had their footprints in million of households. With the huge existing user group already, anyone would ask: “What can I do to these suckers who use my services like no tomorrow?” Back in the days MSN group showed up. It was great, connecting friends and sharing information and meeting people. Later on I started seeing ads on my MSN messenger and tons of useless dating/finance/entertainment tabs. The communication network is nested together so tightly it’s hard to leave. Google had its own IM which connects everything together. Internet has become a big identity blur. My identity, my MSN passport, my gmail account, defines who I am in most of the “communication” segment of my online life. Google keeps on innovating and creating, the latest google reader is my favorite. The new version 7 MSN messenger had everyone closer to each than ever. Publishing blogs posts, sharing photos, and notifying each other all in one. I think MSN space was one of the better ideas MSN has done in the past couple years. Do I use it? NO, because I have a mac and I cannot see all the new features. I have always believed in the power of bringing people together with one common element, in the war of web, it would be the user identity. How amazing would it be if my msn account can be connected with google account. The point of my rambling is because of this: Windows Live Ideas, I find it amazing. I see crazy ajax all over the place. After google map, msn had its MSN Virtual Earth. (virtual earth is awesome because it tracks down my location by reading my IP) I hope for one day when my MSN address book (or google address book) is synced with the map and I can see all my friends’ location on the map and the places they go to. How great would it be when one day google becomes a real life version of simcity and my friends’ mobile devices will show me where they are and connect me with them? Everyone’s identity is slowly morphing into a realm of surrealism where the online and physical space don’t matter anymore. Ubiquitous computing brings ubiquitous identity. Is it ubiquitous connection/communication or is it ubiquitous monopoly/advertising? Web application and web OS bring people online in ways they do not realize, is it for the good of people or for the good of corporation?
My idea of ubiquitous identity prototype will soon to be posted.
