Welcomer applications and services use the open source Welcomer Framework. https://github.com/welcomer/framework The Framework supports microservices to flexibly automate personal online tasks, putting control of a persons data in their hands.
The web is plagued by a series of data silos, each holding their own slice of a person's data but not giving them the freedom to access, use and share it as they desire. This trend has been slowly changing for the better in recent year with many services now providing API's to access their data, allowing new applications to thrive. Unfortunately most of these applications are designed in a rigid way to support a narrowly predefined use. People are different and their needs and desires for what an application should do vary. A solution is to provide a flexible, open framework that makes it easy for a person to securely and privately use their data as they see fit.
Why is Welcomer, the Company, supporting the framework?
For a person to take control of their data they need tools to assist them, a safe place in the cloud to store their data and the cooperation of organisations who hold that personal data. To achieve these objectives, applications built using the Welcomer Framework (or other compatible frameworks) must provide value to organisations who hold data about an individual. User centric systems tend to be lower cost, easier to use and friendlier, providing added value to the organisations that utilise them. With the Welcomer framework organisations can put restrictions on the re-distribution of data they generate. This is important to some organisations as they wish to control the distribution of data concerning them and their activities.
Welcomer is building applications with the framework and wishes to cooperate with other developers and organisations who have similar objectives. Together we can develop the safe, user centric application ecosystem we all deserve!
Welcome Aboard
The WelcomeAboard application illustrates the ease with which organisations can connect and interact with individuals and how individuals benefit from being able to access data about themselves that they have previously entered.
The first implementation of WelcomeAboard integrates with the Xero cloud based payroll accounting system. Xero provides an API to access the payroll information. Welcomer Framework provides a way for employees to directly enter information about themselves into the Xero payroll. In Australia these are typically a form to state where to pay the salary, a form of contact information, a form to notify the Tax Office, and a form to select a compulsory Superannuation product.
Typically it costs an organisation $50 to $100 to ensure all these forms are filled out, signed, stored and processed. WelcomeAboard charges $5 a year for each active employee using the system.
For the employee they only need fill out any information once. If they move to a different employer who uses the Welcomer (or compatible) framework any data entered previously is available so reducing the time spent filling out forms. This enables new employees to become productive more quickly and reduces the frustration level of employees.
Welcomer Framework, Personal Data and Identity
A personal cloud is defined as personal data stored in the cloud.
Whenever an application uses the Welcomer Framework they either create a new personal cloud for a person or they add a component to a personal cloud. In WelcomeAboard the email address is the identifier that distinguishes whether it is a new personal cloud or an addition. The individual will be able to have the ability to combine personal clouds with different identifiers, if they so wish.
Conceptually there is no difference between a person and an organisation and there is no difference where the data is stored.
A person's identities are their personal clouds. There is no token or central registry that identifies a person. The person is conceptually identified by their online presence.
When personal information is moved from one data store to another it is always done with the person present or under their explicit instruction.
Without an application there can be no personal cloud and without a personal cloud there is no online identity.
In the future there will be many ways a person can identify themselves. email address, device used, phone number, voice print, face, fingerprint, location will be possible ways for a person to identify themselves to an application.