If you are using the Internet for long, you can remember the old UNIX finger command. With this finger, you can just type in a command like finger email@readwriteweb.com and then the email server would return with more information about this person. Google has enabled a new next generation finger command called Web Finger for all Gmail accounts.
This new Web Finger will provide you with a standardized and decentralized way of sharing your profile and identity information on Internet. Google also began a small beta test of WebFinger. This will make your Email address more useful.
Do not confuse WebFinger with OpenID, as OpenID associates your identity with a URL and WebFinger links your identity with your email address on Internet. This new WebFinger can store metadata about your account and make it publicly accessible. All these data can include your public profile, information about other services that are used by this email address, a URL to your avatar etc. Even this new WebFinger metadata can point an alternative identity provider which can be an OpenID server.
Just remember that it is very important to note that WebFinger on Internet is an open and free protocol, so that any email service and identity provider can implement it.
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