Data portability is a relatively new concept in the web industry. It revolves around the idea that users should have the capability to control and transfer all of their personal data, such as photos, information and video. This is an exciting new realm in the social networking world.

MySpace, for example, has announced itself as a data portability provider by partnering with Yahoo, eBay and Twitter in a project called MySpace "Data Availability." By allowing real-time data sharing with these other sites, each individual site will no longer be an island unto itself. Most users would prefer to only have one place on the Internet to store their data. By becoming one of the first sites where you can find true data portability, MySpace has created both a great incentive for its users to utilize it as the central location for their data and a great example for others in the industry. To make the most of data portability:

1. Help in the building of a new online paradigm by getting involved with the DataPortability Project

2. Find data portability software to bring your social networking site in line with the recommended standards

3. Check out the data portability list of products and try them for yourself.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get in on the ground floor of the Data Portability Project

The DataPortability Project is a group created to promote and develop the idea that individuals should have control over their data by determining how they can use it and who can use it. Members of the project are actively involved in developing an open source standard that will accomplish this objective. Google, Facebook, Plaxo, LinkedIn, Flickr, Six Apart, Twitter, Digg and Microsoft have all signed on in support of the Data Portability Project--now is the time for you and your company to jump on board.

I recommend: The DataPortability Project maintains a wiki page for developers who want to get involved, featuring the most up-to-date data portability information and news. Another great way to get involved in the project is by participating in real time chats called action groups. This is a way to get to know the community leaders and see the bulk of the discussion. Action groups take place on Skype--download Skype to start participating.

Utilize data portability software to bring your social networking site up to the latest standards

OpenLink Data Spaces is a distributed collaborative data space system implemented as a social networking service and content management system. This is the premiere example of open source software that makes data portability a reality.

I recommend: Download the right OpenLink version for your needs at OpenLink Software. OpenLink has also created an add-on for Mozilla, called the OpenLink Data Explorer (ODE), that allows you to view linked data sources associated with web pages and other information resources on the Internet.

Take data portability for a test spin

You can join the Linked Data community and try out OpenLink Data Spaces for yourself. Once you've joined, you gain access to applications specifically designed for data portability. You can also test out the concept by retrofitting your Sybase database with the OpenLink ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) driver.

I recommend: Join Linked Data at the website provided by OpenLink Software. Download the OpenLink ODBC driver at Softpedia.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check out the ActionPacks on the DataPortability wiki to find out how you can take action! Whether you're a blogger, member of the media, designer, developer or executive, you have a part to play in the data portability revolution.