Today saw DDD5 and deliver of my updated presentation on InfoCard CardSpace Information Card, which was rapidly updated this morning to include the new Information Card logo, and the ASP.NET Kit, as announced by Mike Jones a couple of days back. I did look at the HTML kit as well, but, err, the documentation is somewhat lacking. I think I know what parts of it down, but I'm still at a loss to explain why I need a toast style popup.

The reaction to the logo was rather muted by developers and also derision from a designer in the room; let's hope the reaction from "normal" users isn't so confused. I even pointed out the dual meaning that some see, "i for information card" and the "i" as a person inserting a card somewhere. No-one was impressed, I guess it's like seeing the arrow in the FedEx logo, once you see it then it makes sense, but if you need help to see it then the effect is spoiled.

For the gentlemen trying to take desperate pictures in order to get the URLs at the end I have, as promised, uploaded the presentation (Office 2007 / Office 2003)

One of the recurring themes that people ask is how they can purchase with an Information Card. I explain that it's simply an identity system, they could add custom claims to a managed card, if they become an STS, which might, conceivably contain a credit card number. I baulked at this, but thinking further this afternoon it occurred why send credit card information, why not a custom key for a one time transaction, like, for example, the current one-time credit card system CitiBank and MBNA provide to the US market. Of course you still have the problem of informing partners of your custom claim name and of course authenticating relying parties at the STS level in much the way a merchant account works now. It's a thought though.

(As an aside I came away from a couple of boxes for swag for nxtgenug Oxford, including, of course, the Microsoft socks. Come along in July to talk about Windows Mobile development with my colleague Roger Whitehead and you could run the risk of winning a pair.)