I’ve been watching the stream of press releases coming out in recent weeks about this or that BigSoftwareCo joining the DataPortability organization and, apparently, been having the same thoughts that Canter has.

So lets please lighten it up on the press releases and claims of support – when its just not clear what the hell these companies are supporting or what they’re doing – at all. [From Marc’s Voice » Blog Archive » DataPortability.org gradually eeking it's way out of the reality distortion echo chamber]

The funny thing is that, and I probably shouldn’t blog about this but I will, I sent an email around after Beacon blew up asking my NewsGator colleagues whether or not it would be a good idea to join DataPortability.org just to get air cover on the topic in light of our planned free client release (btw, we didn’t).

It’s not that we, me and NewsGator, don’t support the notion of data portability for the metadata that is created as a consequence of using a service like NewsGator. In fact we are not only supporting the idea of data portability, we are delivering it through our efforts around APML, for starters.

But joining an organization in support of a principle is mostly about achieving competitive parity or differentiation, and gaining the imprimatur of a neutral organization independent of any actual effort to deliver on the principles of the organization.

I should be careful to state that I am not suggesting that these companies don’t actually support what Chris is doing but let’s just say that anytime I see a stampede like this I am suspicious of the companies respective intentions. I would hate to see DataPortability.org hit a “trough of disillusionment” if it were to come that these companies did very little to actually support the cause and to that end Chris should build some teeth into this effort and kick these companies out if they don’t deliver the goods.