"In a notice posted on the Zone home page, Microsoft informed users that they must sign up for the Passport online identification service, a controversial element of the company’s .Net online services push. "The Zone is now a Microsoft .Net Passport site!" the notice read. "Your existing Zone account still works, but you must first sign in to .Net Passport or register for a new .Net Passport account.""
12/17/01 update: bCentral also migrated to Passport, and I’ve just read an ugly horror story on the I-CRM Discussion List (someone couldn’t migrate his account, then couldn’t reach customer support for days).
12/19/01 update: the cobranded Pressplay/MSN Music service of course uses Passport as well.
02/01/02 update: Passport glitch hits Microsoft game site.