Hailstorm
Robert Scoble is wrapping up all there is to know on Microsoft's latest buzz.

MS' white paper is interesting:
"Microsoft will operate the HailStorm services as a business. The HailStorm services will have real operational costs, and rather than risk compromising the user-centric model by having someone such as advertisers pay for these services, the people receiving the value – the end users – will be the primary source of revenue. HailStorm will help move the Internet to end-user subscriptions, where users pay for value received.

Obviously, this means that Microsoft will have to deliver compelling value; the success of this model will be dependent on the willingness of users to pay for the value they receive. Microsoft will have to deliver through the software and services offered enough value to make that attractive."

There is a privacy chapter that claims customers will be in charge of their metadata but makes no mention of European laws (as opposed to American corporate "practices") (both being related to a recent post.)

Maybe service integration through software is what the Internet needs to deliver an experience compelling enough that consumers would be willing to pay for it.

03/27/01 update: Tom von Alten proposes a translation to English.

03/31/01 update: Scott Rosenberg agrees.

04/03/01 update: Will IM buddies stay loyal to AOL?, a good wrap-up on the current IM field.

04/04/01 update: MS Passport: "All Your Bits Are Belong To Us", a /. thread on Hotmail and Passport terms of service. Similarly, Advogato has Microsoft should be feared and despised! 04/05/01 update: Microsoft Changes Passport Terms. 05/15/01 update: MS incites UCITA breach.

05/20/01 update: Is MS jealous of AOL?

06/04/01 update: Clay Shirky: Hailstorm: Open Web Services Controlled by Microsoft

08/08/01 update: BusinessWeek: AOL vs. Microsoft, Business 2.0: AOL vs. Microsoft: The Cosmic Struggle Over You (B2 belongs to AOL)