@reiver ⊼ (Charles) :batman:
1/
It seems like someone wants everyone on the Fedivese to stop using WebFinger.
https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/17030
(WebFinger is used to resolve a Fediverse ID like "＠joeblow＠example·com" to an activity document ("application/activity+json").)
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@reiver ⊼ (Charles) :batman:
Regarding:
“(a) My impression from some semi-recent discussions here and on the Mastodon Discord is that there's much more momentum for abolishing host-meta support than for abolishing WebFinger.”
One (I think) useful thing that people use host-meta for is — to specify that WebFinger is on another host.
If host-meta is abolished, do you know if they have a plan to replace that functionality using some other mechanism?
(Maybe a DNS TXT or DNS SRV record?)
silverpill
Perhaps this mechanism could replace host-meta?
https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fep/src/branch/main/fep/2c59/fep-2c59.md
Julian Fietkau
(a) My impression from some semi-recent discussions here and on the Mastodon Discord is that there's much more momentum for abolishing host-meta support than for abolishing WebFinger.
(b) My stance on handles is that they should not be used for protocol-level identification of actors (since ActivityPub already has IDs). Resolvable? Sure. Permanent? Nah. Let people change their names and configure custom domains without moving their accounts. https://correct.webfinger-canary.fietkau.software/#developers
@reiver ⊼ (Charles) :batman:
4/
Issue №2:
host-meta is in XML (where everything else is in JSON).
I am NOT saying I am a fan of JSON, but — I think it would be easier for developers if only JSON xor XML was used (but not both).
(host-meta is used to specify where WebFinger is. It does not necessarily have to be at "/.well-known/webfinger". And doesn't have to be on the same host.)
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@reiver ⊼ (Charles) :batman:
5/
Issue №3:
If we are going to use Internet domain-names, maybe host-meta could be replaced by a DNS TXT or DNS SRV record — that is used to specify what host to connect to to resolved a Fediverse ID like "＠joeblow＠example·com" to an activity document ("application/activity+json").
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@reiver ⊼ (Charles) :batman:
6/
Issue №4:
Having to make one HTTP to WebFinger to resolve a Fediverse ID (such as "＠joeblow＠example·com"), and then make another HTTP request to get the activity document ("application/activity+json") — adds an extra HTTP request.
Using a well-known path to resolve the Fediverse ID and get the activity document ("application/activity+json") — in one HTTP request would be better.
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@reiver ⊼ (Charles) :batman:
2/
Their reason (for wanting to replace WebFinger):
“While useful, Webfinger is not part of the ActivityPub specification”
Why does that matter?
Having said that, (I do think) there some issues with WebFinger that could motivate one to replace it.
But that would mean that — any replacement MUST address these issues.
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@reiver ⊼ (Charles) :batman:
3/
Issue №1:
host-meta is yet another format to write encoders and decoders for.
(host-meta is used to specify where WebFinger is. It does not necessarily have to be at "/.well-known/webfinger". And doesn't have to be on the same host.)
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