Based on Internet standards such as XML and SOAP, Microsoft says
.NET will advance the internet’s transformation from HTML-based
presentation to programmable XML-based information.
Earlier this month, a US District Court ruled that Microsoft
should be spilt into two companies,one company owning the Windows
operating system; the other company would own all other Microsoft
products, including Internet Explorer and Office.
Microsoft did not reveal its intentions for .NET during the
case, but did argue that an order to split the company would hinder
innovation. Following the ruling, Microsoft has entered into an
appeals process that will possibly take two or three years to
resolve. The proposals for .NET appear to blur the distinctions
between the operating system and other parts of Microsoft’s
business.
Chairman Bill Gates said yesterday:
"The Microsoft. NET platform is similar to
what we did with Windows. That is, creating a framework that allows
people to build applications. …Windows is a key element to the .NET
platform. By building support for .NET right into Windows, all the
information on your PC will be available through the Internet. The
programming models of .NET will be available when your PC is
connected - or even when its not connected. And so, Windows becomes
part of the .NET platform."
Gates added that the .NET platform will be rolled out over a
several year period and that Microsoft will be licensing part of
the .NET platform to different device manufacturers, including the
makers of PCs, TVs and mobile phones. He said all of these things
will connect up to the .NET capabilities.
