Microsoft One Step Further on Interoperability (Updated Version)

Please be advised we have deleted the first version of this story of Microsoft releasing a any updates on Mozilla’s Firefox. We have not been able to confirm this and there are still some questions about the validity of the links. If we get any further details we will follow-up, but as for now the only development should be on the Interop Vendor Alliance with Microsoft and many others.Microsoft (MSFT) appears to be living up to its opening of arms to open source and to interoperability today. Microsoft and other companies formed an Interoperability Alliance.Today at Microsoft® TechEd: IT Forum 2006, Microsoft (MSFT) announced the formation of the Interop Vendor Alliance, a global cross-industry group of software and hardware vendors that will work together to identify opportunities for enhancing interoperability with Microsoft systems on behalf of their customers. Founding members of the alliance include Advanced Micro Devices Inc., (AMD), BEA Systems Inc. (BEAS), Business Objects (BOBJ), CA (CA), The Carbon Project, Centeris Corp., Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS), GXS Inc., IP Commerce Inc., JNBridge LLC, Kernel Networks, Levi, Ray & Shoup Inc., Microsoft, NEC Corp. of America, Network Appliance Inc. (NTAP), Novell Inc. (NOVL), Q4bis, Quest Software Inc. (QSFT), Siemens Enterprise Communications, SOFTWARE AG, SugarCRM Inc., Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW), Symphony Services Corp., Xcalia, and XenSource Inc. Thgis comes on the heels of last week’s SuSe Linux accord with Novell.The stated goals are to encourage vendor collaboration to foster interoperability, enable scenario-based testing for interoperability, and to communicate vendor interoperability solutions to customers. More data on tha alliance can be found at the Interop Vendor Alliance at the http://www.interopvendoralliance.org website.Jon C. OggNovember 14, 2006