Slashdot Mirror
Preview of New MSN Hotmail
An anonymous reader writes "Here is a Preview of a new MSN Hotmail system, using AJAX. Currently in Beta testing." Most interesting is how the user interface more closely resembles a traditional local application. It's definitely a big step in that direction.
I suppose you could make the argument that if in the future software becomes more web-based, it's important to establish as much brand support as possible, because most people will follow the logos they feel more comfortable with.
Slashdot: Where people pretend to be twice as smart as they really are by behaving like children.
..... How tied is this to IE, or by some miracle will it behave exactly the same under other browsers (Firefox, Opera, etc.)?
The article doesn't seem to give any insight on this.
This is my opinion. To make sure you don't steal it, it's covered by the DMCA.
Wow, I have no idea where he pulled the "huge improvement over GMail" from. This HotMailEx just seems to be GMail with an annoying entry portal page that keeps you from your mail.
Unless he was talking about how great it is to have a right click menu. Wow, yeah, that's big.
John
I have a Gmail account and use it on occassion when I don't want to use my normal POP3 account. I like some things about Gmail and don't like others. Frankly, I think the comments people post about how Gmail, Yahoo mail, etc are kind of pointless, since people will just use whatever interface they prefer. I'll stick with Gmail since I use webmail so infrequently it makes no sense to change to something else right now.
Based on the screenshots, it looks like MS has done some pretty cool stuff with this interface. I didn't spend time reading the article, but it seems like some of the features would be hard to implement perfectly across many different browsers (drag-drop support, right-click support). However, if people want to use Firefox or Opera, they have Gmail as an option for web mail.
MS isn't forcing this service on anybody, and I'm not sure if there's any way they could. So, it's a good thing then. It's got some interesting features that the other webmail services don't have, and as such it's fostering competition. Slashdotters like to talk about having choices... well, this is just one more choice to choose from.
If you don't like it, don't use it.
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. --Winston Churchill
And how long will it take for MSN to change those 'Mail Beta Tip #x' graphics into obnoxious flash ads? My guess: one week after it exits beta.
Seriously, listen to what your saying. Most people are novice user's. They do not know how to untar a file, they do not know what a binary is, or how to compile. they need to learn these things. not everyone has the luxury of being born back in the 70's and growing up while computers evolved beside them.
I dont mean to be rude, but expecting everyone to be of the same skill in operating a computer is moronic. Also, treating everyone the same is best for microsoft. they have to assume the worst about a user when they give them an operating system: that they barely know how to type, just bought it from dell, and have an AOL connection. if you have a high level of skill with a computer, then you should have the competancy to customise your copy of windows as you see fit.
Well, I realize it was tounge in cheek, but here's my short list:
1. Gmailstaff doesn't spam me with messages pimping all those features in GSN that I'm missing out on.
2. My Gmail account won't go away if I don't check it for a month.
3. My Gmail account doesn't use a cruddy, intrusive authentication system like Passport.
4. My Gmail account rarely has spam in it.
Microsoft treats users as novices who are stupid. Apple treats users as novices with the ability to learn.
Why wasn't Microsoft first off the block with public AJAX webmail too?
Competition.
Or the lack of it.
Until Gmail came along and sexed up the rather stagnant freemail market, MS was happy to keep doing the bare minimum to keep going. See mozilla vs internet-explorer for a similar situation.