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Microsoft Launches Blogging Site

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the bandwagon-jumping dept.

Jeff Clark writes "In yet another attempt to take over all of the Internet, MSN has launched a blog service called MSN Spaces with the new version of MSN Messenger due out shortly. Features include comments, stats and trackbacks just like every other blog out there. Another built-in feature is also available where you can send pictures from your camera-phone directly to your Space. Now you can let Mom know just exactly what happened at that party last night!" Reader JDBaker adds, "Microsoft have released the first public beta of MSN Messenger 7. It can be downloaded direct from Microsoft, and carries the same build number as the recent private beta release. New features include: Winks, Set Status Before Login, Drag and Drop Backgrounds and Feedback."

14 of 286 comments (clear)

  1. Spin... by Sheetrock · · Score: 5, Insightful
    In yet another attempt to take over all of the Internet, MSN...

    How about, "In yet another attempt to make the Internet relevant to the average person?" Why is this a laudable goal for everybody but Microsoft to strive towards?

    To have a one-stop shop for communication is pretty much what it's all about. E-mail, instant messaging, fax, voice, photos, movies, TV, radio, and the blog (considered to be the future of websites) converging in a simple-to-use way. This should be something to look forward to.

    --

    Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
    -- Dr. Spock, stardate 2822-3.




    1. Re:Spin... by Winterblink · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah, but this is /. we're talking about. When Firefox releases a new version everyone's all raving about how it's a great competitor to IE, that competition is good and that IE is going to die off because of it. Then when MS releases a new blog it's suddenly an attempt to take over the world, and when THEY introduce a little competition it's suddenly a reason to pick up the pitchforks and light the torches.

      --
      "I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
      -Hoban Washburn
    2. Re:Spin... by Mant · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Becuase what you likely end up with is something from MS that does everything badly, is buggy and insecure. Plus, if it does kill the competition, they will stop adding anything new worthwhile.

      Of course, maybe this offering from MS will be different.

  2. Destroying internet darwinism by dnaboy · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Dammit-

    MS is trying to do it again. They're trying to break down any barriers to setting up a blog. Great. Now I can be chastized for not reading my 8 year old cousin's blog, or even better, my 90 year old grandmother's.

    What happened to the days when there was SOME barrier to entry, that at least made you put a LITTLE thought and energy into feeling important enough that people should read your every thought?

    1. Re:Destroying internet darwinism by vivek7006 · · Score: 1, Insightful

      They're trying to break down any barriers to setting up a blog

      Isn't that supposed to be a good thing? Why should only geeks be allowed to have blogs?

      Reminds me of the typical attitude some phoney geeks had towards linux, that it should not be made easy to install and use.

    2. Re:Destroying internet darwinism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The barrier to entry still exists. There are lots of livejournal.com blogs out there that I don't read because they have juvenile, poorly written content. I'm fine with not reading the blog of an aquaintance or family member who has nothing worthwhile to say, and I'm not ashamed to tell them to their face that I don't read their blog. The simple solution to this problem is to act like a grown up and not waste yout time and attention on silliness.

    3. Re:Destroying internet darwinism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      The barrier to entry still exists. There are lots of livejournal.com blogs out there that I don't read because they have juvenile, poorly written content. I'm fine with not reading the blog of an aquaintance or family member who has nothing worthwhile to say, and I'm not ashamed to tell them to their face that I don't read their blog. The simple solution to this problem is to act like a grown up and not waste your time and attention on silliness.

  3. Re:Because thats what we all want. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Oh god what I'd give to go back to a text based internet of the 80's where my usenet reader didn't have to decode animated GIF's, my e-mail client didn't have to understand MIME attachments, emotions were just :-) and chat was BITNET Relay...

  4. Re:private areas to the blog by lucabrasi999 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I mean to use it like a diary?

    Not to sound like a Luddite, but why would you need a web-log in order to keep a personal journal? If you want a personal diary, you could just turn on your laptop/desktop and use your word processor. Or, you could just purchase paper and ink and start writing. Or am I completely missing the point somehow?

  5. Re:And I have no doubt... by Billly+Gates · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I heard the same thing with MS Media player and IIS taking over apache since apache required Unix.

    OMG MS is going to bundle it with Windows and kill the market. Well Media player is number 2 but still can't budge winamp and custom video players. IIS is not going anywhere either besides corporate America.

    --
    http://saveie6.com/
  6. Re:Missing product for Google? by Billly+Gates · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Gmessenger has been mentioned in slashdot before and is being worked on. I think Google plans to make it archivable like gmail with unique features. Who knows.

    But yes I was thinking of the same thing when I read the story. WHen MS does it they are evil and taking over the world and the net. When Google does it they are innovative.

    MS has alot to fear with google. They are the number one threat probably over Linux if I were Billy Gates. :-)

    If Google makes inroads with the desktop then it would leave MS's advantage on using Windows on the server mute which is the only reason people run w2k in the server room.

    --
    http://saveie6.com/
  7. Re:And I have no doubt... by imsabbel · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Media player number 2?
    Forget it.
    Just about EVERYBODY i know who used a computer and isnt a nerd uses wmp, because thats with the computer when he/she gets it...
    Installing a 3rd party media player is allready an act of deeper understanding of computers...

    --
    HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
  8. yawn: another MS copycat product by peter303 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    When are we going to see something truely new from MicroSoft? After all they have one of the world's largest R&D labs which is well-respected at academic conferences. Yet commercially all we hear is one copycat prodcut after another, back to the beginning years of MS.

  9. Blogger by mtrupe · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Seems to me that Blogger is already taking over the blog space. It seems that MS is a day late and a dollar short in this arena. MS seems doesn't seem to compete very well in the Internet arena (outside of Explorer, and people are now discovering the Firefox is a much better browser). Once you have a blog, its hard to switch blog providers. http://fromthemorning.blogspot.com/

    --
    [FromTheMorning]