October 1 2008 Conference Call
Conference Call Notes
Drafted by Joe Andrieu, October 1, 2008
IRC
#vrm at chat.freenode.net
Other Calls
Attendees
- Joe Andrieu
- Doc Searls
- Chris Carfi
- Keith Hopper
Notes
VRM Definition
Perhaps we can follow the success of the open source movement by opening up a conversation to define VRM--as was done with defining "open source".
Free software had been around for years. But it was marginally engaged by the business community, largely because it was misunderstood and in part, feared. So, Eric Raymond, Tim O'Reilly, and a few others set out to come up with a definition for open source that could be palatable to companies. They got together over beer and simply looked at existing licenses and put each in the Open Source column or not. http://www.opensource.org/
So maybe we could start putting together a definition and then a column that lists those services and products that meet those definitions VRM.
Proposal: a clean definition and a list of those products/companies that meet that.
However, since VRM hasn't been around for years, there may not be any companies, products, or services that are fully VRM.
One problem with CRM is that there isn't anywhere to hand it off (no personal datastore to interact with).
One exception there is email, which has now opened as an output for CRM, as a representation of individuals, and an open standard, service portable.
So, perhaps Berkman can serve as the authoritative source for the definition of VRM. They would own the web page and maintain the definition.
Two Lists?
First, a list of services and products that fully meet all of the VRM criteria. Second, a list of services "in the right direction", but missing some criteria.
What is the Criteria?
(strawman by Joe)
- User Independence
- Service Portability
- Data Portability
- User engagement
List of Services
(strawman by Joe)
- web hosting
- blog hosting
- RSS readers
Question: if there is only one service offered by someone, do you really have service portability?
Question: what is it that is uniquely the customers?
The ability to assert a claim. The ability to establish and break a contract.
The ability to express a "global" preference. Global in the sense that any vendor could query your preference. There is a place that is "me" or "mine" in an important sense.