A new web access device that extends the browser by adding a local server in close cooperation. The main idea is that the individual user can now become a first class web citizen, capable of not only placing requests but also to satisfy requests from other actors, either server applications either other browservers. This frees the user from many of the limitations of the browser, while maintaining the sandboxing principle. It provides a better support for decentralized social networks than the simple browser, in particular P2P social networks.
Published in Chapter:
Bridging Provider-Centric and User-Centric Social Networks
José C. Delgado (Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Copyright: © 2012
|Pages: 21
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-168-9.ch004
Abstract
Current social networks are centralized and driven by the providers’ formats, policies, and rules. Subscribing to several networks usually implies duplicating profile information and the effort of replicating changes when needed. Recently, there have been several proposals to support decentralized social networks, but these maintain the client-server paradigm. This chapter recognizes that the user is no longer a mere consumer, but rather a producer, and calls for a paradigm shift, with the user at the center of the social network scenarios, taking the role of an active service, in equal terms with social network providers. This leads to a unified user model: both individual and institutional entities are both users and providers and share the same protocols, although with different emphasis. We call this the user-centric approach and show a migration path from current social network models. To support this approach, we present a new Web access device, the browserver, which includes a browser and a server working in close cooperation, with the goal of replacing the classical browser but being backwards compatible with it to ease the migration path.