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Microsoft Launches Social Network

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the bill-is-your-buddy dept.

prostoalex writes "Inspired by the fast growth of social networks such as Facebook and MySpace, Microsoft is launching a test version of its own social network. Wallop brands itself as 'the exclusive social experience,' and is technically a separate company, a startup that's based on technologies developed by Microsoft Research. As far as revenues, Wallop 'plans to sell graphics and other features people can use to decorate their personal profile pages,' says MSNBC."

6 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Microsoft uses IRC? by dascandy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm guessing they got the name from the messages passed out by mIRC... Let's just hope they have more directed traffic on their site.

  2. Dear M$: you missed the bandwagon! by v3xt0r · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, I'm sorry to tell you MS, but MySpace KILLED-IT. You can try to follow in it's foot-steps, but good luck with that.

    The fact of the matter is...

    A) The name 'myspace' has a lot to do with it's popularity. 'Wallop' is a word that 68% of those myspace users have never heard of, so the chances of it catching-on, or them being able to spell it even, is very slim.

    B) The whole myspace phenom is long over. The majority of people who use myspace STILL, are not likely to switch to yet another social networking site. They've been to Friendster, tribez, etc. MySpace works for them.

    C) The majority of people who have moved-on from myspace MAY be interested in some less-shady alternative, but I suspect that they are 'over it' with the whole social networking fetish.

    Why don't they use that R&D dept. to actually innovate something for once. I mean... seriously, what a waste!

    --
    the only permanence in existence, is the impermanence of existence.
  3. Front page is pointless by Ed+Avis · · Score: 4, Interesting

    OK so I click on the link and what do I see... no useful content whatsoever, just some marketspeak about an 'exclusive social experience'. Why would I bother spending five minutes to sign up? Wikipedia shows how to do it right: the front page is interesting reading, regularly updated, full of featured articles and 'did you know' to draw people into the site.

    --
    -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
  4. Re:A slice of M$, a la mode by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    late to another dance is even worse. Second life launched their Teen second life and it is growing like crazy. The fact that kids can "buy" land and build their own "crib" is growing faster than even facebook or myspace is. My daughter was in on the first day it started and she mentioned that not only is land prices soaring but the number of new people is drastic every day. The fact you can "broadcast" you music in your area to friends is really cool and the 3d aspect makes it feel a bit more high tech.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  5. Forums.... phpBB? by FliesLikeABrick · · Score: 2, Interesting

    http://designer.wallop.com/forums/

    So they spend all of this time making some flash based pretty site, but then just throw up a default copy of phpBB as their BBS for their designers ("modders")?

    Nice to see that they're all about creativity

  6. History of Wallop by texaport · · Score: 2, Interesting
    A small software company gets their product bundled with Oracle which is then bought out by IBM and the leftovers get picked up by the domain name vultures until Microsoft eventually gets in on the action.

    --
    But why did Microsoft pay
    $$$ earlier this year for
    my domain ?