[Mono-list] Any thoughts on .Net My Services?

[Jason Watkins]

Considering the price structure announced today:

$1k + $250 per application for "small scale aplications"
$10k + $1.5k per app for "standard use"

(both are yearly charges)

I'd consider it very likely that a variety of people and projects will
attempt to provide the same services at a lower rate. What will be
interesting will be to see how successful microsoft is a detering that
competition, and exactly how they block it.

Developing an alternative will be no simple thing. The key piece that is
missing from this is user control: if the destinations I want to use only
support Passport, then I have little choice if I want the benifits.
Convincing all the 3rd parties to also support an open and distributed
alternative will be difficult, even if it is packet to packet compatible
with My Services. It will, however, be quite a bit easyer to get businesses
to impliment alternatives for both internal and external applications.

As a user, I have to say I really *do* want this kind of service. Having a
single desktop that follows me no matter where I go has been a dream ever
since the internet first appeared on my map. But I also am hesitant to
surrender my choice over who manages _my_ data to MS. Not becaus I feel MS
is "evil", but just that I don't want to surrender that chioce to a single
entity *ever*. I always want to be able to take my data elsewhere if I
perfer. I'm sure a lot of other people feel the same way.

I know the DotGNU project is planning to impliment alternatives to My
Services.

jason watkins