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Dare Obasanjo points to the inaugural post in the Windows Live ID weblog by Lead Program Manager Trevin Chow which clarifies the objectives of Live ID quite succinctly:
Windows Live ID is the upgrade/replacement for the Microsoft Passport service and is the identity and authentication gateway service for cross-device access to Microsoft online services, such as Windows Live, MSN, Office Live and Xbox Live. Is this the authentication service for the world? No :-) It’s primarily designed for use with Microsoft online services and by Microsoft-affiliated close partners who integrate with Windows Live services to offer combined innovations to our mutual customers. We will continue to support the Passport user base of 300+ Million accounts and seamlessly upgrade these accounts to Windows Live IDs. Partners who have already implemented Passport are already compatible with Windows Live ID.
Hit the link for more details on some of the new technologies in Live ID including Infocards and Web services.
Ed Oswald has an exclusive at BetaNews:
EXCLUSIVE Microsoft plans to roll its Passport authentication service into the Windows Live family of Web services by 2007, renaming it to Windows Live ID, BetaNews has learned. While the company is keeping mum on specifics, the service would make use of Microsoft’s new InfoCard technology.
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A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the existence of Windows Live ID to BetaNews late Monday, calling it the authentication service for Windows Live. “You may consider it a major upgrade to Passport technology,” he said. According to Microsoft, Windows Live ID would play a large part in making upcoming services possible.“We do plan for Windows Live ID to work with InfoCards in the future,” he continued, although declined to say whether the feature would make it into the service’s initial launch.
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With over 30 services potentially taking on the “Live” moniker, industry watchers are warning that the Redmond company risks diluting the brand like it did with the .NET concept.
If this is correct, I detect a bigger branding disconnect than that. Passport and InfoCard are completely different technologies for addressing the same problem and as I mentioned earlier today, while Passport has a deserved reputation as too proprietary, the Open Source crowd is now saying the same thing about InfoCard. Renaming Passport as Windows Live ID won’t do anything for its acceptability and forever tarnishes the Windows Live ID name for the eventual InfoCard solution.
As for the Microsoft fad of renaming every product as “Windows Live Something,” there’s more detail in the article and this is a perfect example. Currently Passport is in a sort of “Microsoft Use Only” limbo – why does it need to have “Windows Live” slapped on it? What’s next, Windows Live Bob?
Just two weeks ago, Bill Gates was touting the InfoCard identity management system coming in Windows Vista. Today it appears that an Open Source alternative will be announced. Joris Evers at CNET:
IBM and Novell on Monday are expected to announce an open-source response to Microsoft’s forthcoming InfoCard identity management technology.
The companies plan to contribute to an open-source initiative code-named Higgins Project. The project aims to help people manage their plethora of Internet logins and passwords by integrating identity, profile and relationship information used across authentication systems on the Net.
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The open-source project, managed by the Eclipse Foundation, is a response to Microsoft’s InfoCard identity management technology, Anthony Nadalin, distinguished engineer and chief security architect at IBM, said in an interview.“This is a move to help get identity management out in the open source. InfoCard is one user-centric identity system…but the implementation Microsoft has is not what I would call open,” he said. “There are a lot of hidden elements.” One example, he said, is how it interacts with Active Directory, Microsoft’s identity management technology for businesses.
Microsoft has been taking pains to make sure that InfoCard doesn’t suffer the same fate as Passport, which was viewed as too proprietary, by touting its open nature ([1],[2],[3]). It looks like they have a way to go. Also, all of these identity management systems require that Web site proprietors sign up to use them in place of their existing security arrangements. That alone guarantees a long, rancorous process.
Update: The IBM press release is here.
Vista backdoor or not?
Earlier in the week, the BBC had a story that the British government had requested a backdoor in Windows Vista’s BitLocker drive encryption because it was too strong. John Lettice at The Register isn’t too impressed – Panic spreads over Windows Vista ‘back door’ that never was:
Who’d be a Microsoft? There you are, strolling along minding your own business and the next thing you know you’re in a top level conspiracy with the UK security forces to put a back door into Windows Vista. Or so, anyway, the web bush telegraph would have us believe. But disorientating as we find it to be leaping to Microsoft’s defence twice in one day, we at The Register feel compelled to point out that the story is somewhat exaggerated, going on entirely untrue.
Vista still plenty secure
Regardless of any backdoor stories, Bill Gates delivered a keynote at the RSA conference and touted the new security features in Vista including the ubiquitous InfoCards, which he also announced will be supported in Internet Explorer 7. The term “virtual wallet” was even bandied about. In an interesting development, InfoCards got backing from Verisign:
Microsoft has found an unlikely backer for its ambitious InfoCard online ID management system.At the RSA Conference here, Verisign dispelled the notion of a rivalry with Microsoft over identity management and announced that its new VIP (Verisign Identity Protection) network—which is backed by Yahoo and eBay—will work seamlessly with InfoCard in Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7.
Oh ye of little faith!
There seems to be a bit of buzz about Microsoft actually being on time with the February CTP of Vista:
Microsoft still is expected to deliver the next Windows Vista milestone, the February Community Technology Preview release, next week — most likely on Feb. 21, according to testers briefed last month by Microsoft.While beta testers contacted this week said they had received no updated information as to when to expect the so-called February Community Technology Preview, most said they were still expecting it to arrive on February 21, as Microsoft privately told testers a month ago.
And in a related vein, it looks like that, as anticipated, Vista will actually ship in time for the holidays.
A surprise in the holiday stocking?
Last but not least, don’t plan on upgrading your current PC to Vista and being able to watch any high definition content. Ken Caesar Fisher has the details at Ars Technica, but I rather like Thomas Hawk’s explanation, “Hollywood Hates You.”
