Although the operating system is a little bulkier, developers will be able to write applications to Solaris and assume that the programs can take advantage of the underlying directory services.

CNN: Sun/Netscape Alliance brings directory ties

The company will also announce next week a 60-day free trial of the Red Hat Network, available through www.redhat.com , that will include access to directory services, outbound user notifications, an automated stream of open-source software, and access to community support forums.

CNN: Red Hat unveils new support network for users

Sources say the Solaris 8 directory will be a high-performance, general-purpose directory intended to support a range of applications and services.

CNN: Sun/Netscape Alliance brings directory ties

But it turns out that, behind the scenes, Sony may also be installing invisible services in the form of a hidden directory containing cloaked files, which run when you use that media player.

ENGADGET: Sony DRM hacks your PC

Once PKI is as easy to use as passwords - and we can understand how to manage related directory and security services - we can aspire to reach the pinnacle of cryptography.

CNN: Easy-to-use PKI is key to cryptography's success

Yahoo's two original services, directory and search, now grab only 20% of the Web site's total page views.

FORBES: The Killer Ad Machine

For the past four years, it has sought authority to use the National Directory of New Hires, a database of wage and employment information maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services, to verify that information on tax returns actually corresponds to a real job.

FORBES: Billions in Tax Refund Fraud--and How to Stop Most of it

The suite of APIs allows developers to seamlessly integrate with Polycom RealPresence video solutions such as provisioning, scheduling, directory services, user management, conference control, authentication, and billing.

FORBES: The Changing Face Of Video At Polycom