As the first step on the road to .NET, youknowbest will implement Microsoft’s Passport, which allows consumers to use single sign-in registration across multiple Web properties. Additionally, the companies will integrate new HailStorm services, such as notifications, as they are made available.
youknowbest understands the importance of having a user-centric vision of commerce on the Web and is building a set of services that will take advantage of the Microsoft .NET platform, said Bob Muglia, group vice president of the .NET Services Group at Microsoft. youknowbest has developed some compelling commerce technology that will take advantage of the work we have done with .NET.
HailStorm is a code name for a set of user-centric XML Web services that will enable developers to build solutions that work seamlessly with one another over the Internet to deliver a more personalized and consistent user experience. The youknowbest universal shopping list is a single list of every item a consumer is considering for purchase or has already purchased from any online store. Because of the list’s integration with HailStorm, youknowbest will be able to provide a streamlined online buying experience for consumers, including personalized communication from product dealers and manufacturers.
Microsoft’s .NET architecture and services are key in enabling the next generation of Web applications for consumers and businesses, said youknowbest CEO Robert Wight. It is these kinds of standards that enable independent software vendors to develop great user software with less development time spent on the building blocks.
The alliance calls for cooperation initially focusing on incorporating .NET technologies into youknowbest’s service offerings for manufacturers and consumers. The alliance also calls for the companies to work together on the deployment of future HailStorm services.
Microsoft .NET, Microsoft’s XML-based Web services platform, will benefit both businesses and end-users. For businesses, it changes the way they build software and sell products, making information technology a significant contributor to corporate success and introducing new business models. For end users, .NET will produce unparalleled access to a dramatically more personal, integrated computing experience. XML Web services are constructed using XML for data exchange to help applications, services and devices work together. Sharing data through XML allows Web services to be independent of each other while simultaneously giving them the ability to loosely link themselves into a collaborative group that performs a particular task.
SOURCE: COMPANY PRESS RELEASE
