An Introduction to Cloud-Native Authorization with Topaz

As applications grow from simple projects to complex systems, managing who can do what becomes a major challenge. What starts as a simple “admin” vs. “user” distinction quickly evolves into a complex web of permissions for different teams, customers, and features. Bolting on new rules can make the application code brittle and difficult to maintain.To … Read more

People First Technology — The Core Belief

We start with a simple conviction: Technology should do everything it can, so humans can do what matters most. Software was never meant to consume attention. It was meant to return it. It was meant to reduce burden, not create it. To serve people, not overwhelm them. That is what People First Technology means. The … Read more

From Messy Data to a Clear Picture: Understanding Identity Resolution with Zingg

1. Introduction: The Universal Problem of “Dirty Data” Imagine scrolling through your phone’s contacts and finding multiple entries for the same person: “Jen Smith,” “Jenny S.,” and “Jennifer Smith-Jones.” While you know they are all the same person, your phone sees them as three separate individuals. This is a simple example of a universal problem … Read more

How OpenAutonomyx Differs from Existing Open Source and Non-Profit Efforts

We recognize that we are not alone in this mission. Many respected institutions already advance foundational digital infrastructure: Organizations like: have done extraordinary work building the open foundations of the modern internet. OpenAGX stands in continuity with that tradition. So What Is Different About OpenAutonomyx? The difference is not philosophy. The difference is institutional realization. … Read more

5 Surprising Truths About “Free Software” You Probably Didn’t Know

When we hear the word “free” attached to software, our minds almost instinctively jump to one thing: price. We think of “freeware” or apps we can download without paying a dime. But what if “free” meant something else entirely? What if it wasn’t about the cost, but about your fundamental rights as a user?The “free … Read more

Four Surprising Lessons from Zanzibar, Google’s Planet-Scale Permissions System

Introduction: The Invisible System Behind Every “Share” Button Every day, we click “Share” on a Google Doc, grant access to a private photo album, or set a YouTube video to “unlisted.” We implicitly trust that the right people—and only the right people—will see our content. Behind this simple act of trust is a colossal engineering … Read more