Windows XP may be Microsoft's passport to trouble. A new feature introduced in the latest test version of Microsoft's Windows XP operating system requires people to establish an account with the software maker's Passport authentication service to use new instant messaging and telephony features. The beta--one of the last before a widely anticipated preview release--introduces to Windows XP support for Microsoft's .Net software-as-a-service initiative. Critics argue that by using Windows XP to encourage Passport account sign-ups, Microsoft is drawing on its dominance in operating systems to gain a foothold in the nascent market for online services and subscriptions. Passport integration raises the specter of antitrust hanging over the operating system, they contend.
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