WLID is in the wild

Microsoft has released to the public two SDKs for its Windows Live ID authentication technology, enabling third parties to use the system for their own applications. In case you missed it, Windows Live ID is The Technology Formerly Known as Passport, and is designed to be a Web-wide single sign-on service. Microsoft has been using WLID for some time as the authentication mechanism on its Live sites and other Microsoft-related Web properties. By releasing the SDKs to the public, Microsoft is hoping to spur other developers to integrate WLID into their own sites and applications.

Here’s what Microsoft’s Angus Logan had to say about WLID’s functionality:

By creating Web sites and applications that combine user authentication with other Windows Live services, you can offer your users new and unique online experiences that include the following:

• Rich functionality that is possible only when an authenticated user moves seamlessly among multiple Windows Live services
• True “anytime, anywhere” scenarios for Web-based applications
• Deep, computer-independent personalization
• Smooth transfer of the user’s authenticated state between client-based and Web-based applications

Redmond also is making available code samples for ASP.NET, Ruby, Perl, PHP, Java and Python.