[JDEV] Re: Server Independent Accounts

[Michael Brown]

From: "Michael Hearn" <mhearn at subdimension.com>
> Well, I don't know if it was considered in the early days of Jabber, but I
> have to disagree with you for several reasons:
>
> - Having a username at hostname address format is actually one of the few
good
> ways we know of to have a unique identity. That's why Microsoft Passports
> are identified by email addresses: they are guaranteed to be unique,
without
> centralisation.
>
> - It's a good way of avoiding centralisation, as any computer can be a
> server without registering itself with any authority other than the DNS
> system
>
> - Yeah, I agree that being tied to one particular server is bad when you
> want to move, but it's better than the alternative. Just imagine every
email
> user in the world competing in a single namespace. The Hotmail problem of
> being called mikehearn30503 would be multiplied to the nth degree!

Michael - yes obviously I am aware of the advantages of the username at host
method, and I agree with you.  Sorry, I thought that it was too obvious to
reiterate in my original post.  No one wants to be called michael11342 or
some such I know.  The challenge is to come up with a solution that has the
best of both worlds (if such a solution exists).

Yes, Passport does use email addresses, but even that isn't a great idea
since people usually have more than one email address and they often change
when they change jobs or ISP's.  ICQ went in the right direction when they
started assigning UIN's (Unique Internet Numbers) for their account, but
they never really took the idea any further - not much point since they only
have the one server...

Michael.