Today at the Retail Systems 2004/VICS Collaborative Commerce show, Microsoft Corp. announced a program for assuring retailers that next-generation applications being developed support industry standards, have been independently verified and meet Microsoft's high standards for interoperability.

Developed with the National Retail Federation's Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS), the Microsoft� .NET Connected for Smarter Retailing logo program addresses a need identified by Microsoft's customers and industry partners to be able to clearly delineate Internet-enabled retail solutions built with Microsoft .NET, utilizing Extensible Markup Language (XML) Web services connecting people, information, systems and devices.

Solutions branded with the .NET Connected for Smarter Retailing logo enable customers to more quickly and easily integrate with their business partners, connect with their own customers, and provide the right information to their employees, saving time and conserving capital. Microsoft .NET makes it easier to connect inside the organization, across physical locations and between organizations while providing a software foundation that is easier to deploy, maintain and adapt than conventional software.