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.