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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