Promote Entrepreneurship and Innovation

We're taking a clear shot at some high barriers to entry that exist for web services. For one, new data sources don't have to worry about getting other applications to support them: They will be able to integrate with the Maelstrom Network, which will make them available to any application who can use their data. Applications that would like to read files, store user data, bill users, or even just check login status will be able to do so without spending days setting up multiple services.

Radically Increase Connectivity

Who says it's impossible to open a file from an email attachment, edit it, and save it directly to FTP without the file ever leaving the cloud? With the Maelstrom Network, you'll be able to do this and more with the increased connectivity options. Edit your Facebook photos and save them to Dropbox. Open a document and upload it to your web site. Read your music files in the cloud from any player you choose, rather than be tied to those that are supplied by your storage service. We're going to take your computer out of the equation: Keep everything online, where it belongs.

Enhance User Privacy

Most users have concerns about services they use being able to identify them. Even at the minimum settings, most popular authentication methods today uniquely identify users and usually give out personal information such as their name. Project Maelstrom will put your concerns to rest in three ways:

• Unique IDs provided to applications cannot be used to track you between applications unless you allow it
• You can deny an application any or all information it requests.
• You will be able to set up separate profiles for separate uses, such as personal and work use, within one account.

Provide Secure, Verified Information

Identifying a user is a two-fold problem for web sites: Is the information being presented correct, and does the person actually holding the mouse have the authority to present it? Project Maelstrom will be solving this by providing a "veracity score" to applications which will describe what we know about both of these. We're going to be implementing security solutions such that applications can easily scale their security requirements dynamically based on their need, without implementing custom security methods on their own.