MS Sez Hailstorm To Play Nice With Others

Rocketboy writes "ZDNet has posted a story saying that Microsoft will not be the only repository of user information within Hailstorm. They claim that Hailstorm was intended all along to be a network of trusted repositories along the lines of all the banks that exchange information within their ATM networks. " One of the key points from Coursey's piece, IMHO, is "MICROSOFT SAID it does not know whether a central authority should be created to oversee the open-trust network it hopes these changes will help create. In an interview late yesterday, an executive working on the project said the company is open to an industry group--such as those already controlling Kerberos and other Internet technologies--taking the lead role if it becomes necessary. ." So, the central authority part is still being worked out - but regardless, this changes the framework of Hailstorm, if implemented.

Comments

Can I act as a repositry

[barnaclebarnes]

What if an idividual wants to become a respoistry for their own information and not trust it to a central place. That way I could carry the information with me knowing it is as secure as I want it to be.

OK, let's see the specs

[Fnkmaster]

Open the standard, show us how to roll a Hailstorm server, tell us how to set up alternative Hailstorm compatible networks, come up with a process for joining the official Hailstorm network, show us how we control where our information goes.

Microsoft is just realizing that nobody will play with their new toys if their toys take away rights that we consider sacred. They have backed out of really bad ideas in the past when enough industry and pundit criticism was leveled against them. If they will again this time, that would be great, but content-free proclamations are meaningless. I trust these guys as far as I could throw a hundreds-of-billions-of-dollar-cap company.

splintered authentication networks?

[count0]

So will Hailstorm play nice with whatever the AOL collective is working on? Or will there be several authentication networks where you need an id on each to reach the full range of the Net.

Didn't this happen with early financial systems too? I have logos for a number of money-transfer networks on the back of my ATM card (though Interac is the only one that I recognize from actual use). I'm guessing they used to be incompatible...not on the same card.

When I'm worried about limited net access and content, I'm not talking about MSN and AOL being the only online properties...but what if the NYTimes or WSJ implement Hailstorm? And what if Sports Illustrated implements AOL's version (no question there, since it's part of the Time Warner family).

And how will the inevitable open-source clone work? Will people try to co-opt Hailstorm, or turn away since it's MS? (my crystal ball predicts both, in two different projects)

cheers,

cz

Re:Big difference

[JediTrainer]

There's another difference: Banks are LIABLE if they lose your information, which translates usually to you losing money.

Microsoft has never been accountable for anything being lost in the past, by hiding behind their EULA (ie: we are not responsible for any direct or indirect losses as a result of using this product. You agree not to sue us no matter what). Well, until Microsoft guarantees unconditionally that my information is SAFE, like the banks do, I will not ever, ever trust them.

There aren't any laws protecting me, so why should I even dip a toe into the water?