March 12,2002
SUNW brings hardware and software bundle to web authentication battle. Sun will bring something Microsoft lacks to the battle: hardware.
Sun Microsystems is putting some products and services behind its effort to consign Microsoft's Passport software to oblivion.
Sun will debut two collections of servers, storage, software and services to house information on customers, employees or business partners. The system can be used to govern who is granted access to network services such as Web-based order forms, system administration consoles or stock option plans.
The system will be a foundation for products Sun will ship later that support the Liberty Alliance Project. Liberty, which Sun initiated, governs how an authorization system can join with other systems so users get the benefit of single sign-on abilities.
Source: http://news.com.com/2100-1001-857513.html
February 19,2002
Liberty Alliance announces more partners.
The new members include EarthLink, EDS, Nextel, PricewaterhouseCoopers, SchlumbergerSema, VeriSign and Visa International
Source: http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/02/19/020219hnrsalibery.xml
December 19 2001
Microsoft Warms to Growing Liberty Alliance. More partners join.
Microsoft on Tuesday gave its strongest signal yet that it may join the Liberty Alliance Project, a broad effort to create a common technology for identifying users on the Internet.
Meanwhile, five more companies will join the effort on Wednesday, in a sign of growing industry cooperation to create the common technology. Hewlett-Packard, France Telecom, General Motors, and MasterCard International say on Wednesday they will take part in the project and take positions on the management board. A major commercial bank, which would not identify itself, also says it will join the board.
Source: http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,76563,00.asp
December 5 2001
American Express and AOL join the Liberty Alliance Project.
American Express, which is already allied with Sun because its Blue credit card uses Java software, joined the Liberty project just one day after AOL Time Warner did the same.
Source: http://news.com.com/2100-1001-276662.html?legacy=cnet
October 10 2001
Ballmer blasts Liberty Alliance.
"I think the Sun thing has absolutely zero probability of mattering to the world. (Laughter.) And that’s my non-emotional view of the topic. (Laughter.)"
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/PressPass/exec/steve/2001/10-10gartner.asp
September 26 2001
Sun unveils "Liberty Alliance" to counter Passport of Microsoft.
Initial supporters include Nokia, General Motors, NTT DoCoMo, Koninklijke Philips Electronics, and Bank of America.
August 2001
Privacy groups attack Windows XP, Passport.
A group of privacy organizations on Wednesday renewed their attacks on Microsoft's Passport authentication service and Windows XP, asking the Federal Trade Commission to mandate changes in Microsoft's new operating system.
Source: http://news.com.com/2100-1023-271711.html
June 2001
Microsoft announces that it will require users of Windows XP to use Passport in order to access certain features. This draws the ire of many privacy groups.
Critics argue that by using Windows XP to encourage Passport account sign-ups, Microsoft is drawing on its dominance in operating systems to gain a foothold in the nascent market for online services and subscriptions. Passport integration raises the specter of antitrust hanging over the operating system, they contend.
Source: http://news.com.com/2100-1001-268827.html
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