Big trade shows like Interop can be confusing. So many vendors, so much noise, so much spin, so little clarity. Searching for technology trends among the tchochke seekers, spokes-models and aggressive PR reps can feel like a hopeless task.

Microsoft has taken another step towards better interoperability between third-party groupware products by pledging to document its .pst file format used by Outlook to store personal data.

The Kantara Initiative, formed to promote interoperability among identity verification applications and services, launched on Wednesday with big-name backers like Oracle, Intel, eBay's PayPal, AOL, CA, Novell, Fidelity Investments, Liberty Alliance, Boeing, Internet Society and British Telecom.