Why does this not exist yet? — Local user data
Ok, so I read the description for Mozilla Weave incorrectly. When I first skimmed the headline and description on a blog somewhere, I thought it was innovative. After going to the actual page, I realized that although it’s been long overdue, the idea of Weave has already been implemented elsewhere.
It did get me thinking though… what if “what I thought Mozilla Weave was” actually existed? So, here’s a free idea for a budding entrepreneur or open source group.
I officially dub this idea “User Silo”. A database.
Ooh, sound’s exciting, I know, but hear me out. User privacy is a big concern as of late. And props to Opera, Google, and Mozilla for trying to solve for it… but their solutions only work for my bookmarks and browser preferences, and worse yet — they’re hosted by yet another company.
I want control of my data. I want ownership of my data. I want to take my data with me.
What if a simple javascript accessible database was installed in my browser? Granted, this wouldn’t be a traditional database, but more of a localized model.
For example, if there was a standard defined for a music collection… my music collection. The model would contain such data as Song Title, Artist Name, Artist Link, Media Type (CD/MP3/Vinyl). Since this data is predefined, a website wouldn’t have direct access to the database… it would have access to a javascript class that allows manipulation of the user’s local database. Upon user approval and user-installation of the Music Collection standard (a batch script to create the data), the website would have access to a javascript class that contains functions such as getArtist(), createMusic(), etc.
If a site wanted access to the Music Collection standard on my browser, my browser would first check if I had the Music Collection standard. If not, it would allow me to install the batch script straight from the governing body of standards (not the W3C!). If I allowed access, the site would then have access to my existing data, and would have access to manipulate that data.
At the end of the day, this would put control of sensitive into the user’s hands, where it belongs. A user login for the browser would be required, but with Weave, My Opera, and Google Browser Sync, this is already required.
As another idea for first-round implementation, an option to revert to your data before you visited this new site would be handy. Kind of like a back button for your own data, in case the site you gave access too completely fubared your data.
As a disclaimer, I know this article is short and pretty poorly written, but it’s late and I wanted to get the idea out there. If you use this idea, please at least give me credit for it. I develop ideas all the time but this one I would like to see brought to fruition… something I don’t have time for.
Stephen Kelly
January 4, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
The ‘user silo’ of data would need to be compatible with multiple browsers, and easily synchronized across devices and platforms . I use both major browsers across several computers on different platforms, and have a large enough problem keeping Flash up to date on all the computers that i use. Having to sync several potentially large datasets would make this even more complicated.
Also backup of the local ‘user silo’ would be problematic. I don’t think that placing the workload of managing the data to the user is a good idea, those of us in IT are able to manage it, but the rest of the world, would prefer that its just handled for them, and that it is possible for them to do with there data as they want.
The ‘average’ user does not care where their data is, just that it is protected, and that they are able to do with it as they want, and move it to whatever services that they currently decide to use.
Thanks
Steve