digital marketplace

Windows Marketplace was a Microsoft platform for the delivery of software electronically that was secured by use of Windows Live ID (now known as a Microsoft account). The digital locker platform was composed of four major components:

Windows Marketplace catalog
Multi merchant download cart
Digital Locker Assistant (a client-side application that facilitates the download of purchased applications)
Digital Locker
For consumers, the digital locker and Windows Marketplace could be used for purchasing and downloading third party software titles compatible with Microsoft Windows, and then using that purchased software on any computer the software license allows. For software developers, the digital locker and Windows Marketplace was for the distribution of their software titles.
A Windows Vista Ultimate Extra, called Secure Online Key Backup allowed backing up EFS recovery certificates, as well as the BitLocker recovery password in the Digital Locker. Windows Marketplace was only available for residents of the United States and some other countries.

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