Social Network Portability or Portable Social Networks?

I find it wickedly ironic that all the worthwhile activity around social network portability and data portability is trumped by ordinary human behavior:

Note that what Julian asserts there is valid, in my opinion: a whole lot of thought and knowledge, both good and bad, was poured into SNP in the "early days." If the people have moved from one group to another then perhaps it is safe to assume the knowledge went with them. But if this group died and the other emerged...then what?

And if that weren't confusion enough:


So here we are trying to keep up with the conversation - which can be extremely difficult in active groups - and the conversation keeps moving...figuratively and literally.

"Wait. It's not just social network portability. It's ALL data portability. Let's all move up to data portability."

"But 'all' data portability is too big. There are too many facets. Let's all move down into the various facets (presumably according to our interests and perspectives)."

Down that path madness lies if one isn't careful. Managing the order of things when it comes to the Internet can drive one crazy enough as is.

I do admire them for trying. Progress is being made. Data portability is intensely important for connected computing and process interoperability.