Kassem wroteI'm not sure whether I understood what you are exactly talking about Joe, but Microsoft has done a great job with its WIF (Windows Identity Foundation) project which supports Claims-Based authentication and authorization. It already provides several authentication providers (including but not restricted to Username and Password authentication provider) and allows you to plugin your own as well.
the WIF that you are reffering to goes way back. actually about 11 years. as a part of an internet domination strategy, microsoft, to the likes of others, began using its hotmail/live services as a basis for the WIF. it was to serve itself and commercially, third parties. this attempted backfired and that was when microsoft had to succumb and open itse chat and live services to other than microsoft owned live.com and hotmail.* domains. along side to this, the OpenID was established. the OpenID was to be indenpendent and trustworthy etc etc, providing a plethora of features and services.
the main reasons as to why such services and concepts havent pulled thru yet is basically due to:
- to the likes of wikipedia, who will cover the costs?
- technical implimentation lack of know how and awareness
- technical limitations
- national and local regulations
- national and local compliance
in various opensource products (forums, cms, etc), most modern ones are able to integrate and make use of such authentication infrastructure solutions. only those who are aware make use of it. and that is those who can comply.
even i have an openid account and i am unable to count the years since the last time that i used it simply due to the fact that only a few site has enable its usage and google has done a good job of marketing itself as an alternative.
yes, google, google to the likes of others has attempted to use its own authentication as a competitive alternative to others. it has a leverage since it has bought out lots of socialweb services and enable it amongts its own services such as youtube and the works.
yeah, google, the big friendly wolf....NOT!!