Shibboleth Developers

[Michael Schwartz <>]

> The Internet architects created a Internet scale naming system to replace the 
> hosts file, but they didn't see the name to create an Internet scale 
> /etc/passwd file. XRI answers this finally.

One more point: /etc/passwd is limited to users. XRI provides a way to 
address objects in general. People are one kind of object, but at Gluu we 
use XRI's to address people, groups, organizations, and personas.

I've frequently heard mention of virtual organizations. How do you look 
one of those suckers up? XRI provides an answer to that. And when you 
return a list of the people in a virtual organziation, how do you discover 
information about them?

The XDI protocol, a current OASIS spec, is designed to enable semantic 
messaging between XRI endpoints. With the inclusion of "link contracts," 
and signing, this would create an Internet scale infrastructure for secure 
data exchange that would enable institution's to leverage their 
organizational IDP key.

The sample use case for XDI messaging is Pokens. If I "high four" my Poken 
with someone at a different university, how can we exchange information in 
a federated manner (i.e. without a central authority like facebook).

I could go on for hours, but alas, I have to work today :)

BTW, I think the plugin is a good idea and I am contemplating adding it to 
Gluu's development list.

- Mike