Evan introduces himself and his work on open source microblogging software projects. He created Laconica, an open source PHP/MySQL microblogging platform that implements the Twitter API. He also developed the OpenMicroblogging protocol for distributed microblogging across servers and the StatusNet software-as-a-service platform. His goal is for open microblogging software to allow enterprises, brands, and communities to have decentralized alternatives to centralized platforms like Twitter.

1. Open Source Microblogging Evan Prodromou Control Yourself, Inc. Open Web Vancouver 2009

2. My name is Evan.

3. My name is Evan. I do microblogging.

7. I'm not Twitter. That's OK.

8. 100% of money on the Web is made by companies that aren't Twitter.

9. Not that I'm financially motivated.

10. Not entirely.

11. I am a passionate believer in Open Source

12. And Open Data

13. And Open Content

14. And Open Standards

15. For an Open Web.

16. Because it's a problem:

17. Software is moving into a “cloud”

18. Dominated by a few companies.

19. We're moving from an Open, distributed, internetworked Web

20. To a collection of Online services, barely connected.

21. Facebook 2009 = AOL 1992

22. Google = Bitnet MySpace = Prodigy Yahoo = Genie Amazon = Compuserv Microsoft = Microsoft

23. Worst of all, they're usurping our desktop and server software, too.

24. This is bad for the Web, Bad for business, Bad for society.

25. Just ask Tim O'Reilly, IBM, Or the Economist.

26. I'm part of a workgroup called autonomo.us

27. We are working on this problem from a number of angles.

28. Franklin Street Statement http://ur1.ca/tz

29. Open Source + Open Data + Open Standards = Open Software Services

30. I like starting Web sites. So that's how I'm contributing.

31. But where to start?

36. Status matters.

37. “ Microblogging”

57. One Big Twitter

58. Publishers Subscribers Weather Blogger New York Times CNN Google Enterprise Personal ISP Wireless Provider Twitter Identi.ca

59. Thesis: successful distributed communications media require 1 good protocol and an Open Source server.

60. Email had SMTP + Sendmail.

61. The Web had HTTP + Apache.

62. Blogging has... uh... some stuff... + WordPress.

63. Instant messaging has 2 protocols, one good server. Problems.

64. Social networks have no protocol, a couple of good servers. Problems.

65. Conclusion: my awesome thesis is indisputably correct.

77. Small installations on commodity Web hosting Medium installations on virtual or leased servers Large installations on many owned servers 10^0 10^1 10^2 10^3 10^4 10^5 10^5 10^6 10^7 10^8

121. http://identi.ca/ http://laconi.ca/ http://status.net/ http://openmicroblogging.org/ http://controlyourself.ca/ http://identi.ca/evan