Sun Microsystems Inc and more than 30 other companies formed an alliance to develop ways for consumers to use one password on the Internet and get all the services they choose, a system that would compete with one being promoting by Microsoft Corp.
Members include Cisco Systems Inc, Bank of America Corp and AMR Corp's American Airlines. The program, codenamed Liberty Alliance Project, will enable a variety of services on devices from desktop computers to cellphones to TVs.
For instance, a single log-in would give users secure access to a spectrum of services from airlines to banks to auctions that run Liberty's Internet standard. Instead of keeping all of a customer's personal information in one database, the system would allow only banks to have financial data, and medical-care providers and other services would get different details.
"This is the next evolution of the Internet," Sun Senior Vice President Jonathan Schwartz said in an interview. "People are saying, `I'm sick of having 19 user IDs and 47 passwords I write down on slips of paper.'"
He expects to have the service available within a year.
The group will have 10 to 15 directors from the member companies that spend part of their time on this project, Schwartz said. Most of the work will focus on business, public policy and creating a brand for the log-ins. The amount of funding each company contributes is still being determined, he said.
It may be tough to convince users that a single log-in would be safe, analysts said. Avivah Litan, an analyst at Gartner Inc.
said Sun has a better shot because banks and financial institutions are participating in the effort and her research shows consumers trust those companies more than Internet and technology firms.
"It will take a while to roll out but once you have banks starting to use it, it will get the credibility and trust from consumers that Microsoft's Passport seems to be lacking," she said.
Microsoft, the largest software maker, offers a rival service called Passport that lets users store identification data so that they don't have to re-enter it several times to sign on to partner Web sites and Microsoft Internet services. Microsoft also plans to use the system as the identification method for consumer Internet services it introduces in coming months.
Privacy and consumer advocates fear that the Passport system won't protect a customer's information from theft, sale or use by Microsoft and its partners. Last week, Microsoft said it will let businesses and online service providers use their own identification services to work with Passport and the services and Web sites that use it. The company has also said it won't sell or mine user information.
One of the Liberty alliance members asked Microsoft to join, and the software maker said it's looking into it, Schwartz said.
"If they're saying what they're saying, they should join us," Schwartz said.
Microsoft Passport officials said they didn't receive an invitation to join, although the company believes there "may be opportunities for us to work together," said Chris Payne, a vice president who leads Passport's marketing. Microsoft won't allow cooperation to delay Passport plans, said Adam Sohn, a product manager for Microsoft's .Net Internet strategy. Sohn called the alliance is a tactic to stall until Sun catches up.
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