The latest version of me.edu.au adds support for XFN: The XHTML Friends Network. This makes it possible for tools to automagically link your multiple online identities together.
XFN uses a system of claims and verifications to determine how online identities are linked together. Claims are made using HTML links, using the rel=”me” attribute. If the target site has a link back to the origin also using the rel=”me” attribute that claim is said to be verified.
Why is this important to the education sector? It is a critical building block needed to create distributed ePortfolios.
Tool support for XFN is still in the early stages. Google has provided critical momentum by developing their Social Graph API (note that this relies on updates to Google’s search index, which at the time of writing hasn’t occurred for me.edu.au). Plaxo has an demonstration application; the Online Identity Consolidator. This does work with me.edu.au - the output from processing my profile can be seen here.
The XFN website has a long list of other tools and products using XFN.
4 Comments
You absolute legend!
So, the more RSS feeds I pour into me.edu, the stronger my identity appears?
Wonder how I can leverage my OpenID (http://mseyfang.wordpress.com) ?
Can I add that to my current profile of:
http://me.edu.au/p/fang
claims: http://del.icio.us/mseyfang/education
claims: http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/pipe.info?_id=IM3vY_cW3BGo95LNl7okhQ
Why did you have to talk about this on Valentines day??
I’m torn, start hacking in me.edu or do something more romantic…
Fang - Mike Seyfang
Hi Mike,
Yes, that’s pretty much right - the more stuff you add the more claims you make.
This doesn’t really link in with the OpenID stuff at the moment, because it is all about *public* information. DataPortability.org is looking at the issues surrounding portable *private* social data, which ties into OpenID and OAuth.
But don’t tell anyone I’m to blame for your valentine’s day plans!
OK, so Ive added a bunch of RSS feeds to my me.edu profile and the sites they come from show up nicely as claims. So, If I add a link back to http://me.edu.au/p/fang (say as a blogroll link in wordpress) will that serve to verify the claim? (and if so how do I show this).
http://me.edu.au/p/fang
claims: http://del.icio.us/mseyfang/education
claims: http://learndog.typepad.com/learndogpup
claims: http://mseyfang.edublogs.org
claims: http://mseyfang.wordpress.com
claims: http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/pipe.info?_id=IM3vY_cW3BGo95LNl7okhQ
claims: http://spaces.msn.com/members/mikese
claims: http://www.flickr.com/people/mikeblogs
claims: http://www.flickr.com/people/mikeblogs/contacts
claims: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeblogs
Fang - Mike Seyfang
Yes. In wordpress, add a link back to your profile and use the “Link Relationship (XFN)” section to set the relationship to “me”.
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