Microsoft Information Card for windows live services

Just learned something new. Hum ...you would say that is usual, what is new ???. Agreed.

When online and going through certain website or web application or cloud appliance, everyday , I get to learn one or two things new.  And ofcourse I get brush up on previously grasped concepts. :)

As we are talking internet, web applications and cloud appliances, we are reaching out to different services for various purposes like managing social contacts, emails and calender as well as online banking, ticket booking, shopping etc. For each of these purpose, to maintain privacy and security, we have individual registration to each of these sites and we merrily remeber all those user id and passwords with certain security questions ( Identities ) .

Some sites now a days trying to give some relief of identity maintenance and provide alternate security mechanism like open id, google login, facebook connect and so forth.

Well, what I have learned today is about identity and how Windows Live manages it through Information Card.

Here is an excerpt from Microsoft about Information Card.

About Information Cards
Information Cards are downloadable digital certificates (An attachment to an electronic message or transaction that is used for security purposes. The most common use of a digital certificate is to verify that a user sending messages or information is who they claim to be and to provide the receiver with the means to encode a reply. Digital certificates are issued from a certificate authority.) that enable you to sign in to Windows Live ID sites and services without a password. Once these certificates are installed, you can sign in to multiple sites and services without needing to remember your Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and anywhere else that you see the Windows Live ID logo.) and password combination.
Notes
To use an Information Card, you must have Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 installed on your computer. If you don't have the correct version installed, you'll be prompted to download and install them before you can associate an Information Card with your Windows Live ID.
You can also use Windows CardSpace to manage your Information Cards.
,IS_Windows Live ID and Account Management , , sdarc_ofni info card space cookies certificate ssl secure sockets layer

These information cards are basically digital certificates and would be managed by Windows Cardspace on your devices.

These digital certificats are interesting in a way that these has been been targed for much more higher purpose than just identifying a single user on pleathora of Microsoft windows live services.

Just to provide a glimpse of the features, Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 together could be used with these digital certificates for virtual private network and direct access to back office applications from your personal devices like netbooks, laptops, PCs and smart phones. :)

Well, I am going on further for next concept to learn from this every growing technology field...

Until then prepare your informaton cards with your data, picture and digital signature and enjoy... well...if you have a questions, comments, suggestions, ideas or knowledge bits, you know where to find me ...

Get your own Windows 7 beta preview

Updated 01/11/2009
Microsoft has re-opened Beta Download. Get your own windows 7 beta preview on MS site.

• IMP Note: Please use MS Internet Explorer for this. It has not worked for me on Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Flock.


• You will be asked to pick up 32-bit or 64-bit version


• Choose one of the language from drop down


• Register using Windows Live Id (Hotmail email id)


• Then you will receive a page with Windows 7 Beta 32-bit Product Key and two buttons. Download Now and Installation Instructions.


• If you have not downloaded Beta versions before from Micrsoft, it will download MS Download Manager and will start download


• IMP Note: It may happen that you have to click download now multiple time, before you get your download started.


• IMP Note: Do not forget to copy and to paste product key somewhere you can find. Please choose the product key when download actually starts

Enjoy...

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Updated: 01/10/2009
====>Microsoft has withdrawn Beta Download due to overwhelming traffic to Microsoft Download site<=========

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Microsoft has announced that new better and improved OS Windows 7 will be available as a beta version for general public download from Jan 9th. It will be available to all the mortals ( I mean general public ) at Windows 7 website . Microsoft will put the download URLs worldwide at noon,Pacific time on Jan 9th. Microsoft will allow the first 2.5 million downloads. The windows 7 beta will be available in 32- and 64-bit flavors for downloading.

By the way if you are one of those elite immortals who live and breath IT technology ( aren't technology already commodity and everybody know it by heart, oh except my grand mother...I am pushing it too far..Isn't it...), and have Microsoft TechNet and/or Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscription, you probably already have it through your bundle of subscription or you can rush to Microsoft Technet Windows 7 Beta site to get your Microsoft Windows 7 beta version.

Apart from Windows 7 and Microsoft Technet Sites, you can get your Microsoft windows 7 beta from Microsoft's IT-oriented Springboard Series site. Supposedly this site will add a "Windows 7" tab to the existing Windows XP and Windows Vista tabs already there.


What Microsoft has to say about its Windows 7 preview...hear it from them only

Windows 7

Over the past few years, you've asked us to make some changes to Windows. We listened closely. Now it's time to share an early look at how we've used your feedback. Windows 7 is faster, more reliable, and makes it easier to do what you want. Both the everyday things and the killer "is that really possible?" things. Dig into this site to see what's coming. Want to try the Beta? Come back the afternoon of January 9. And remember—this is just a preview. There's more to come.

If this all has turned on your curiosity and if you have decided to get your own windows 7 beta preview but in between like to learn more about Windows 7, you can visit Windows 7 Beta videos: a peek at the coolness to come and ComputerWorld article "Windows 7 in-depth review and video: This time Microsoft gets it right" to get a cool-aid for your curiosity.

Amazingly this version of Windows is very stable, fast and atheistically pleasing. This "Feature complete" windows 7 beta version can run on a a PC with a 1-GHz processor, 1GB of memory, 16GB of available hard disk space and support for DX9 graphics with 128MB of memory. Your PC will need a DVD writer to burn downloaded disk images to a blank DVD. Microsoft says that final product may need different configuration depending on improvements and modifications. Another thing I am reading on various sites is that

Though Microsoft is playing down this release due to Vista's non-popular welcome by IT community. They seems to be on target and keen to make it positive impression to user community.I am surely excited about this new OS from Microsoft. Technical Reviews are positive. During this recessionary downturn, if new OS catches on and fulfills the technology promise to run agile and nimble, it will definitely start its own eco-system consisting of hardware resellers, driver development, software affiliates, software development and of course integrators, implementers as well as blooger :D). This eco-system could lead to technology jump start which may in turn push economic recovery. It could lead to better access to MS Cloud computing OS (Windows Azure) through already added windows live components and relevant SDKs.

If I could get hands on Windows 7 Beta, I will definitely put some of screen shots here. And I am sure more reviews will be all raving around blog sphere.

I know we have to wait till Jan 9th noon pacific time to get our own windows 7 beta preview...till then...