[Mono-list] Please comment on excellent Java/J2EE/EJB v. Mono/.NET article here...

[Guy Murphy]

> 1.) MS Hailstorm, and sepcificly Passport is the *real* issue.

Yes, this is quite an issue. Passport addresses the issue of trust through
indentity.

Note that identity is not the same as authentication, which is a commonly
mistaken notion. Authentication is part of the process of verifying
identity, and nothing more.

The reason why I feel that the Open Source community has an up hill battle
on this issue is identity realy has to be backed up by an institution of
enough calibre, precieved or otherwise... with enough respect, and
credibility (again percieved or otherwise). One is trusting the institution
backing the identity. It's like realworld passports... yes open source could
address real world passports, but I don't think it could sell them.

This isn't to suggest that MS is the best body to handle such a thing... I
personally don't think any of the tech institutions are the right bodies,
I'd have prefered it if the financial sector had covered this (and they
really should have by now).

*shrug* I dont think OSS can make an alternative to Passport float... they
may be able to come up with a better technical implimentation, but then
they'd have to partner up with an official looking body... and no the likes
of the FSF doesn't look like such a body to a retailer.

Why do we care about identity at all?... because trust through indentity is
an essential part of commerce.

Cheers
    Guy.