Re: Blog clients and the new Blogger Atom API

["Michael Marsh" <michael.a.marsh@gmail.com>]

On 3/29/07, Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:16:04 -0400
> "Michael Marsh" <michael.a.marsh@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Actually, *any* Internet-based service that stores data for users
> > should provide a mechanism for those users to export their data.  That
> > should be a part of terminating service (and should perhaps be written
> > into law), and it would certainly be nice if they made it a backup
> > option during continuous service.  After all, whose data is it?
>
> I agree with you about it being the right thing to do, but I don't know
> about a law. No one forces you to use its service.

That's true, sort-of.  As more users use more online services that
store their personal data, the line is going to increasingly become
blurred between what's on *your* computer and what's on a *service's*
computer.  Most people won't necessarily appreciate the fact that
they've lost direct control over their data.

This is, I think, dangerously close to going far afield into Offtopicopia.

--
Michael A. Marsh
http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/~mmarsh
http://mamarsh.blogspot.com