Microsoft, IBM Commit to Interoperability TestingMicrosoft, IBM Commit to Interoperability Testing

I have almost no details for you, because it literally just happened, but representatives of Microsoft and IBM, on the VoiceCon stage this morning, committed to interoperability testing among their respective Unified Communications packages.

I have almost no details for you, because it literally just happened, but representatives of Microsoft and IBM, on the VoiceCon stage this morning, committed to interoperability testing among their respective Unified Communications packages.This is potentially big news, or it potentially will turn out to be an idea that crawls off and tries to die a quiet death. But we're going to try and keep the latter from happening.

Here's what transpired: Fred Knight and Jim Burton were moderating a session on UC and Software Architectures, and the debate turned, as it often does in this recurring session, to the topic of standards and interoperability. Pat Galvin of IBM threw down the gauntlet:

"Let's have interoperability testing with Microsoft. Is that so hard? Let's do that."

Fred pounced, immediately offering to host that testing, or a demonstration of it, at VoiceCon San Francisco this coming November.

Microsoft's Eric Swift extended his hand to Pat Galvin and said, "Let's commit to followup after this meeting."

They shook on it.

We're going to do our best to hold them to it.