ZDNet News: Java-based Passport: Contender or pretender?

'The Microsoft money machine was only able to pick up the Microsoft community before, and now it can pick up the Java community. Once we've pulled a person from Java through to using Passport, who knows what other Microsoft services they might start using,' says Ayling.

According to Ayling, JPassport is targeting the Java community exclusively, and not approaching existing Microsoft Windows users.

"We are not talking to Windows people at all. If Windows people want to use Passport, they should do it the Microsoft way. Anyone that's using Linux, or Solaris, or Java, all of these people can use JPassport and we are directing the customer flow back to Microsoft," says Ayling.

Southern Storm Software's Weatherly believes JPassport's relationship with Microsoft is not ideal.

"The server side and the database of user information remains under Microsoft control...leaving the database in the hands of Microsoft is not a good idea," said Weatherly.

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