SYS-CON Events announced today that Microsoft joined AJAXWorld Conference & Expo as "Gold Sponsor." Microsoft technologies enable designers and developers to create next generation web experiences. With frameworks like ASP.NET AJAX, developers can quickly create pages with sophisticated, responsive user interfaces and more efficient client-server communication by simply adding a few server controls to your pages. Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. More information about Microsoft's rich internet application solutions can be obtained at http://ajax.asp.net.

OpenAjax Alliance announced the membership of Microsoft to the alliance during the AJAXWorld Conference & Expo 2007 East, which took place last Mach, in New York City.

“Microsoft is joining the OpenAjax Alliance to collaborate with other industry leaders to help evolve AJAX-style development by ensuring a high degree of interoperability,” said Keith Smith, group product manager of the Core Web Platform & Tools to UX Web/Client Platform & Tools team at Microsoft Corp. “By joining OpenAJAX, Microsoft is continuing its commitment to empower Web developers with technology that works cross-browser and cross-platform.”

The newest OpenAjax Alliance members include: 24SevenOffice, ActiveGrid, ActiveState, Appeon, Aptana, Arimaan Global Consulting, Custom Credit Systems (Thinwire), ESRI, Getahead (DWR), Global Computer Enterprises, GoETC, Helmi Technologies, HR-XML, iPolipo, Isomorphic Software, JSSL, Lightstreamer, Microsoft, MobileAware, NetScript Technologies, OpenSpot, OpenSymphony (OpenQA), OpSource, OS3.IT, Redmonk, Tealeaf Technology, Teleca Mobile, Transmend, Visible Measures, Visual WebGui and Volantis Systems.

The Alliance is also announcing that the following members have all been awarded OpenAjax Interoperability certificates: Apache XAP, Dojo Foundation, ICEsoft, ILOG, Isomorphic, IT Mill, Lightstreamer, Open Link, Open Spot, Nexaweb, Software AG and TIBCO. The interoperability certificates represent progress by both OpenAjax Alliance and its members towards defining and achieving industry support for OpenAjax Conformance.

The term OpenAjax Conformance is shorthand for the set of requirements that OpenAjax Alliance will be placing on Ajax technologies, products, and applications. These requirements focus on a small number of simple but important aspects of Ajax deployment, thereby providing the critical bits of Ajax interoperability that customers require. The conformance criteria are being designed in a manner that allows Ajax suppliers to continue to innovate and move forward with new technologies and products in an open platform.