Microsoft unveils Live Framework
Published: 03 Nov 2008 08:24 GMT
At the Professional Developers Conference, Microsoft released another important platform, Live Framework, in addition to Windows Azure.
Microsoft's Live Framework is essentially the developer part of Live Mesh. It lets developers use the Mesh technology to add online components to their desktop applications, or conversely, to give online applications an offline component.
The software maker had said Live Framework would be coming when Live Mesh was unveiled earlier this year, but its actual launch was overshadowed by discussion of Windows Azure last week.
The Live Framework is itself built on top of Windows Azure, but exists one layer up from the core operating system, using Microsoft's pre-built layers for services such as contact management.
As with Azure, the Live Framework is at an early stage. Microsoft is, at this point, mainly hoping that developers will start experimenting with the tools, as opposed to building broad-scale programs.
"It's not ready for shipping a production app," corporate vice president David Treadwell said in an interview this week.
Microsoft did show several concept applications at the Professional Developers Conference (PDC), including efforts from Blockbuster and the BBC, which showed a version of its iPlayer that uses Live Mesh to help people see what programmes their friends are watching.
As for which Microsoft applications will be Mesh-enabled, the software maker has not revealed much. Treadwell did say that Windows Live Wave 4, the release after this autumn's update, will feature components of the Mesh technology.
"We're working on integrating with the next major release of Windows Live," he said.
Live Mesh shifted last week from a technology preview to a fully fledged beta, adding native support for Macs and Windows Mobile phones, among other new features.
Microsoft is also opening up the identity component for the Live Framework, meaning developers won't necessarily have to use Microsoft's Live ID to take advantage of other Mesh components. Microsoft received a fair bit of attention at PDC for its co-operation with Live ID, but the company also said it will allow businesses to handle their own credentials, using Active Directory.
"The Microsoft Services Connector lets businesses take advantage of Live services, while letting the business use its Active Directory to handle authentication," Treadwell said.
Provided businesses can make sure only employees have access, Treadwell said, many are deciding it's acceptable for the data to live outside the firewall. "People are opening up to that."
Credit: Microsoft's other new platform: Live Framework from CNET News.com
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