Liberty Alliance Cheaper, More Open

less than 1 minute read

Just back from the Liberty Alliance plenary meeting in Brussels, Belgium. Lots of interesting stuff afoot, both in the plenary meeting itself and the associated Identity Open Space (IOS) event.

One big news item - the economics of Liberty participation just changed, radically: effective May 1, individuals can join Liberty Alliance as associate ($100) or sponsor ($250) members. Fees have also been reduced for enterprises and other organizations - see the new Membership Matrix (PDF) for details.

Also, the Technology Experts Group (TEG) mailing list is now publicly viewable. Paul explains some of the rationale. TEG is the powerhouse of the Liberty Alliance (no offense to Public Policy, Business and Marketing or any of the other expert groups!), turning market requirements into specifications; this move makes that mechanism completely transparent.

Looks like the trend towards openness and participation is spreading!

Updated:

Comments

Mark Wahl

It appears the Project Liberty membership agreement doesn’t, however, provide a means for individuals to join; it hasn’t been updated.

Brett McDowell

Mark, Liberty Alliance did approve a new Individual Membership category last week. What are you referring to that you believe also needs updating? You may have found something we simply missed. –Brett McDowell, E.D., Liberty Alliance

Mark Wahl

http://www.projectliberty.org/index.php/liberty/files/member_pack Mempack.zip 24 January 2007 Liberty Alliance Membership Agreement.pdf “Liberty Alliance Membership Agreement Effective Date 24 January 2007 LIBERTY ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP AGREEMENT This Liberty Alliance Membership Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered by and among ____, a _______ corporation, (“PARTICIPANT”)…” suggested that a participant was always a corporation of some form. Thanks, Mark Wahl

Brett McDowell

Ah, ok.
Yes, I see how that might be confusing. But that is, as you say, “suggestive”. That section is the equivalent of a signature block and it is not binding (i.e. the implication that the applicant is a corporation is not binding on whether or not they are in fact a corporation). To join as a Sponsor (or Associate) at the Individual Contributor fee level, just put your name in the first block and ignore the second. That’s all.
It is just a bit confusing and would be a good clean-up item in any future substantive revision of the agreement, should there be one.

Thank you for pointing this out.

– Brett McDowell, E.D., Liberty Alliance

Pat Patterson

Nice soundbite, Mr Bag, but it doesn’t make any sense. If you look at Liberty’s work, there is little, if any, overlap with OpenID (for example, Liberty’s main technical focus right now is web services - OpenID doesn’t go there). And Liberty != SUNW - Sun is active in both Liberty and OpenID.

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