Re: [GNU/consensus] [SH] Sockethub introduction

[Nick Jennings]

On Thu, Jan 31, 2013 at 7:59 PM, Melvin Carvalho
<address@hidden> wrote:
>
> On 31 January 2013 19:31, Nick Jennings <address@hidden> wrote:
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 31, 2013 at 5:53 PM, Melvin Carvalho
>> <address@hidden> wrote:
>> >
>> > Why limit this to activity streams over JSON?  Surely the system should
>> > be
>> > independent of the serialization for a true polyglot approach.

Just for clarification, the polyglot approach does not mean the
internal developer API needs to also be polyglot. That would be like
saying a person who speaks multiple languages (a polyglot) must also
think in any language they speak, or not have a native language that
is their choice for communicating when they can dictate the language.

The value the Sockethub brings is enabling developers to communicate
with various APIs around the web without having to write specific
implementations themselves for each platform they wish to support. You
tell Sockethub your intentions (using a defined API) and Sockethub
will carry out the task speaking the API language(s) needed.


> What will the API look like?
>
> [ Identifier A ] sends message to [ Identifier B ]
>

The API is being fleshed out and is subject to change, the living
draft is in the link I provided in the original post:
https://raw.github.com/sockethub/sockethub/master/doc/api_protocol.txt


> Even tho the web has been around for 2 decades, we are nowhere close to even
> solving the simple use case.  There are many competing protocols that have
> balkanized the social web.  I'm interested to see the approach that will be
> taken here.  Also dont forget that the web was designed to be social from
> the start, and almost everything talks HTTP these days.  To date, only
> facebook have really leveraged this, we really need something we designed
> under FLOSS in this space!

Sockethub is not trying to create "yet another protocol" or solution
that requires a critical mass adoption before it achieves it's
potential, but rather mitigate the effect that these competing
protocols have on the users, and developers.  One person can use
Sockethub to it's full potential. I think that's a huge plus for the
project, it's not trying to take on too much, just solve an important
- specific - problem, and do it well. It can then be used as a
building block for multiple use-cases, and approaches, to the bigger
issues at hand.

Cheers
Nick