Microsoft drops Hailstorm

It seems that Microsoft has dropped Hailstorm, the authentication level control point that was enable Microsoft to conquer the web (and then the world). I remember when people thought Hailstorm was a diabolical big deal. I used to think it was a diabolical big deal. This lead me to write many stupid things about Microsoft. Hailstorm was a secret plot to extend Microsoft's desktop operating system into the web, but it seems that the web has extended the network operating system into the desktop instead.

I don't care much about Microsoft any more. I admire their ease of use (after working at IBM you learn that Microsoft is very easy to use). I admire the way they've made computing cheap, and spread this ease of use to many (in a way Apple, forever the niche player, never has). I hope they continue to innovate and make good products, but if they don't, that's OK too. Thanks to the web, we've all got options.