Network services/Current approaches: Difference between revisions

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It is a huge pain to deploy and maintain one's own services. Software like WordPress and MediaWiki are much, much better than what existed 5 years ago, but they are still painful, and impossible for someone without lots of time and/or expertise to maintain. Thus, everyone has moved to centralized services, almost all of which are non-Free in one or more ways.
It is a huge pain to deploy and maintain one's own services. Software like WordPress and MediaWiki are much, much better than what existed 5 years ago, but they are still painful, and impossible for someone without lots of time and/or expertise to maintain. Thus, everyone has moved to centralized services, almost all of which are non-Free in one or more ways.


=== Make case for centralized service providers to Free their code ===
=== Push for free services ===


This is a pragmatic case. Their competitive advantage comes from the platform (ability to run it effectively and efficiently at scale, and network effects). Allow users to improve platform.
This has three parts:


=== User movement to demand Free services ===
# Define what a free service is
# Make the case to centralized service providers to free their service
# Build a user movement to demand free services (possibly thru abstention)


A bit like Abstention above.
For #2, there is a pragmatic case. Their competitive advantage comes from the platform (ability to run it effectively and efficiently at scale, and network effects). Allow users to improve platform.
 
=== Free services certification/mark ===
 
Complementing and combining a user movement and workable Free services definition.


=== Others ===
=== Others ===

Revision as of 03:06, 11 March 2008

What are the approaches that people are using to try to address webservices. These might include:

Abstention

For certain classes of applications that have functionally equivalent distributed or non-service version or analogs, one can avoid inherent power dynamics that inherently disadvantage users by avoiding the use of applications. See Richard Stallman's essay sent over email for more information on this position.

functionally equivalent -- this doesn't really seem like abstention.

Extending copyleft to web services

Quite a few projects have attempted

Such as? Does this refer to Network services/Licensing approaches to network services or something else?

P2P

Attempt to replace centralized functionality with decentralized (and Free) applications.

Make running own services more attractive

It is a huge pain to deploy and maintain one's own services. Software like WordPress and MediaWiki are much, much better than what existed 5 years ago, but they are still painful, and impossible for someone without lots of time and/or expertise to maintain. Thus, everyone has moved to centralized services, almost all of which are non-Free in one or more ways.

Push for free services

This has three parts:

  1. Define what a free service is
  2. Make the case to centralized service providers to free their service
  3. Build a user movement to demand free services (possibly thru abstention)

For #2, there is a pragmatic case. Their competitive advantage comes from the platform (ability to run it effectively and efficiently at scale, and network effects). Allow users to improve platform.

Others

Other ideas might include:

  • Cooperative hosting solutions.
  • Contracts and accountability for hosting providers
    • Ensure that the services provide you with a way to leave (freedom to leave)
  • A Network Services "Bill of Rights" (e.g., [1][2])
  • Increased monitoring ability for hosting providers

Other license based approaches are described in depth on Network services/Licensing approaches to network services.