I'd like to point out two projects spearheaded by Mozilla that I hope will inspire people to care about this issue and appreciate the possibilities of a federated web ( http://blogg.forteller.net/2011/think-internet/ is a MUST read)

1. The Open Badges Project -- https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges
The idea is to be able to build and demonstrate skills and learning achievements across the web, with badges that are standardized and accepted across multiple sites. Currently, Open Badges are in the works of being built into the Peer2Peer University platform, and the MacArthur foundation (along with other partners) has put up sizeable chunk of cash to have other learning communities design and pilot their own badges in the form of a contest

2. BrowserID -- http://BrowserID.org
Sort of renewed attempt to do what OpenID has been trying to do for a while, but much simpler. You authenticate your email and create a password JUST ONCE. For everything.