Microsoft Windows Live Now Supports OpenID

[engine]

Microsoft Windows Live Now [nytimes.com]Supports OpenID

...announcement from Microsoft. Anointing OpenID "the de facto standard Web protocol for user authentication," Microsoft has moved to give millions of Windows Live users access to any OpenID-enabled site on the Web by ensuring every Windows Live ID will become an OpenID.

According to Microsoft:

"We look forward to making it easier for our users to access the Web sites they use, by reducing their need to create additional identity accounts. That is the promise of OpenID. We are happy to support that goal by providing OpenID-based sign-in functionality to Windows Live ID account holders."

[bill]

Not quite yet. ;) They say that they're targeting a 2009 release. It's still in beta now.

This is undoubtedly a huge step forward for OpenID. My biggest concern now is that I don't know which OpenID to use. It appears I've got quite a few now. It will be interesting to see how MS implements this throughout the Live properties and elsewhere.

[Clark]

Great news! There was an article about the fellow in charge of Live. I've been pretty impressed with some of what he's done. Maybe there is some life in Microsoft.