Identi.ca - Like Twitter But Open Source

Identi.ca is a new microblogging site which of course begs comparison to the mother of all microblogs, Twitter; however, it’s not merely a Twitter clone. Rather, it’s open source and runs on a CreativeCommons license, providing users with a transparent service that preserves their autonomy, meaning that if you don’t like how Identi.ca works, you can take your own data and move it to another account or server. Also, friends on other microblogging services will be able to receive your messages. This will probably appeal to those frustrated by Twitter’s shortcomings—e.g. its frequent outages and downtimes. Identi.ca does stick with the classic 140 character limit. All content is supported by CC licenses. Currently, features are limited, but there’s definitely more in the works including, SMS updates, maps, cross posting capability, Facebook integration, hashtags, and media updates. You can sign up for a free account now.

“Identi.ca is a
micro-blogging service
based on the Free Software Laconica tool.

If you register for an account,
you can post small (140 chars or less) text notices
about yourself, where you are, what you're doing, or practically
anything you want. You can also subscribe to the notices of your
friends, or other people you're interested in, and follow them on the
Web or in an RSS feed.”

Identi.ca has the advantage of being open source and federated. Users can communicate with friends no matter which network they belong to. It’s like a decentralized Twitter. Users get the same advantages without the limitations. It has potential.

Will this catch on? Will the RSS be improved? How will Identica convince Twitterers to jump ship?