Linux Journal: Grounds for Identity

“A year ago, identity was mostly the concern of privacy and
crypto guys. The only company taking much public interest was
Microsoft, which was busy scaring everybody with its Passport
identity management system and the Hailstorm initiative that went
along with it. (Microsoft folks tell me they never meant to scare
anybody. Privately they refer to Passport as ‘Piñata’
because of all the bashing it takes.)

But over the next three quarters, identity became a big deal,
certified by its own high-profile web site and tradeshow: Digital
ID World (DIDW). The first DIDW took place in Denver in early
October 2002. It was well-run and well-attended for a first effort
by people who were, for the most part, new to the business. Those
people included PingID.com, which is the commercial counterpart of
PingID.org, an open-source effort.

“When Don Marti got a look at advance promotion for DIDW, he
called the speaker lineup ‘scary’: a lot of big companies and
associations (Microsoft and the Sun-led Liberty Alliance, for
starters); a lot of small companies trying to sell stuff to big
enterprise customers; and almost nobody representing individual
interests (especially privacy). Except for me. And frankly, I had
to push to get myself added to the speaker lineup, which I did
through my position on the advisory board of PingID…”

Complete
Story