I'm convinced that digital identity and universal authentication systems will make it big on the IT radar scope for 2007. While a number of propriety systems have cropped up over the years, the open-source project OpenID has started to make headlines as it tackles the problems and solutions for digital identity.

OpenID is an open, decentralized, free framework for user-centric digital identity.

OpenID starts with the concept that anyone can identify themselves on the Internet the same way websites do-with a URI (also called a URL or web address). Since URIs are at the very core of Web architecture, they provide a solid foundation for user-centric identity.

I was first introduced to OpenID through the blogs of Scott Kveton. In one of Mr. Kveton's recent posts he talks about open source projects using plug-ins and modules for converting their content management system (CMS) over to OpenID. More specifically, he discusses the use of a Drupal module for adding OpenID support in his post, Converting your site to OpenID.