>>What's even more amazing is that Microsoft is actually pricing the upgrade sanely. Can you believe it's only $40 to upgrade from Windows 8 from XP, Vista, or Windows 7? It's like someone at Microsoft woke up and finally listened to what I've desperately been trying to tell them for years. Sorry... I beat you to it by several months. ;) http://bob.archer.net/content/my-windows-7-49-proposal-microsoft Windows 8 and the Surface tablet is the only reason I haven't ordered a new MacPro Retina yet. I hope it comes out soon so I can decide. BOb

Dare I say it? Card Spaces and InfoCards. It was very similar to your "drivers license". It also allowed for various identity providers so you aren't limited to 1 issuer. There are only 2 small problems that I think prevented it from being used. 1. Identities were not portable. (BIG PROBLEM) 2. It was mostly Windows. If you solve problem 1 then problem 2 will solve it self because web sites would start supporting it. Of course, info cards are very similar to client certificates. I believe these can be installed on multiple PCs. However, don't think they have the security of InfoCards due to the fact that every web site sees the same id, where as with InfoCards each web site gets a different token so they can't match you from site to site. BOb

Sounds exactly like cardspace and info cards. Although it never took off.. .for three reasons I think... 1. It was window's only... although there were mac and linux implementions. 2. The info cards were not portable but installed on a specific PC. 3. No major web sites really implemented it. Heck, even microsoft still stuck with passport nee live id. BOb