After talking to Robin and some other folks, I think it might be an interesting exercise to define a few terms and describe how I have been using them in mny blog post. This is not necesarrily an attempt to create a dictionary or lexicon, but an explanation of how I understand things …
-
InfoCard (System): This is an authentication system, originally devised by Kim Cameron and other folks at Microsoft. It utilizes the WS-* network protocols for transport, and uses a “Wallet” metaphor for vizualizing identy information on client machines through credit card-like graphics.
-
Windows CardSpace: By this I mean Microsoft’s implementation of the InfoCard system on Windows. This includes Vista and the WCS port for Windows XP and 2003.
-
IdentityCard: A single instance of an identity holding card in an InfoCard System. IdentityCards can be e.g. Higgins I-Cards holding OpenID information or Windows CardSpace cards.
-
InfoCard (Card): The Windows CardSpace implementation of an IdentityCard.
One thing that I am really interesting in finding out is how (and if!) consumers will pick up on the visual IdentityCard metaphor.