Microsoft Launches Social Network

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."

Comments

A slice of M$, a la mode

[ackthpt]

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'

Exclusive? I suppose the old invite a friend to join thing is the barrier to keeping seedier people (like most slashdotters and OSS & Linux evangelists) out.

'Sell graphics and other features ...' Hey, I've got an idea. Why not just build your own website and run a blog on it. Sounds cheaper and more exclusive.

'technologies developed by Microsoft Research' Does this mean there will be an endless parade of vulnerabilities and patches? That's what I associate with their technologies, based upon a very well established track record. I see it features Flash on the home page. What happened to Microsoft's alternative to that?

Late to yet another dance, Microsoft attempts once again to show they brought the best date. Not a bad looker, but just don't ask about the white streaks in her hair and the bolt in her neck...

in soviet russia invite wallops YOU!

Re:A slice of M$, a la mode

[Anonymous Coward]

This is retarded. How many people are really going to pay for things that they can do for free on other sites that are well established.

Re:A slice of M$, a la mode

[generic-man]

"The old invite a friend to join thing" is exactly what Google did with Orkut, what Friendster did, and what every other site does if they don't want millions of spambots creating accounts. (And if spambots DO create accounts, you have handy chains that you can use to ban them en masse.)

Secondly, there's already a cottage industry of layouts, graphics, etc., for sale on MySpace. Microsoft wants to tap into it firsthand, is all.

Re:A slice of M$, a la mode

[ackthpt]

This is retarded. How many people are really going to pay for things that they can do for free on other sites that are well established.

You dummy! Can't you see it's exclusive! That's one of the world's best moustraps. Say something is exclusive and people will fall all over themselves (some more casually than others) to get at it.

Of course, this strategy only works a few times in brighter people. But I'm sure there's enough people in the world who would fall for the 'exclusive' bit to keep Wallop in the black.

Re:A slice of M$, a la mode

[ackthpt]

they don't want millions of spambots creating accounts. (And if spambots DO create accounts, you have handy chains that you can use to ban them en masse.)

Still, you can guess there are people sitting in rooms, willing to defeat this scheme so they can include their pharma ads, pump & dumps and other schlock.

Re:A slice of M$, a la mode

[Lumpy]

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.

Re:A slice of M$, a la mode

[Pollardito]

after a thorough review of myspace i have determined that the people there don't really want attractive graphics, so i agree that this business model is not very sound

Re:A slice of M$, a la mode

[nine-times]

Exclusive? I suppose the old invite a friend to join thing is the barrier to keeping seedier people (like most slashdotters and OSS & Linux evangelists) out.

It's probably just an attempt at reverse psychology. Tell people they can't get in because it's exclusive, and people will want in. It worked for Gmail, but I don't think it'll work here.

Ouch!

[atrader42]

I can't exactly picture joining a service entitled "Wallop", no matter how many friends I have on there...it sounds pretty painful!
"Hey Joe! I just walloped you!"
"Ow! Screw you!"

Microsoft uses IRC?

[dascandy]

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.

$ocial network

[Dargoth_Rejuv]

What a useless idea. Lets take someone else's good idea, and make people pay all sorts of fees to make it look worth a damn! Sounds like an excellent idea to me, where do I sign up?

Who do you want to meet today?

[Phantom of the Opera]

Hi, you seem to be writing a personal add. I can help. Your writing is too cornball.
  -MS Romeo

Microsoft does not own this...

[xENoLocO]

This is a private venture that used to be owned by Microsoft. Microsoft doesn't fund, did not develop, and has nothing to do with this site anymore.

Re:Microsoft does not own this...

[Westech]

In that case it sounds like a well thought out and beautifully executed idea! Where do I sign up?

An appropriate name

[smooth wombat]

Consider the following:

1. to beat soundly; thrash.
2. Informal. to strike with a vigorous blow; belt; sock: After two strikes, he walloped the ball out of the park.
3. Informal. to defeat thoroughly, as in a game.

Considering the success, or lack thereof, of other attempts by Microsoft to enter already established markets, their name will be exactly what will happen to them.

Granted, I'm sure the reason for the name was to imply that the service will beat Facebook and MySpace but really, the marketing folks should have used history as a guide before settling on the name.

In a Microsoft social networking site...

[Anonymous Coward]

Clippy pops up and says...
"It looks like you are need some friends. Would you like some help with that?"

Re:Selling graphics...

[ackthpt]

Nothing for you to see here. Please move along.

Don't you see? It's exclusive and you are on the outside.

You want to be on the inside, don't you? Lotsa fun in there. Bet it's better than whatever's going on behind the green door. Wow! Too bad you don't have an invite! Gosh, what you're missing out on.

I always believed...

[Ruvim]

I remember it perfectly: an e-mail that I recieved several years ago about Gates giving out large sum of money to anybody who joins that chainletter... It's becoming true! Yes!

Dear M$: you missed the bandwagon!

[v3xt0r]

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!

Front page is pointless

[Ed Avis]

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.

Re:Front page is pointless

[Andrewkov]

It's "exclusive" in the sense that all your friends are over on MySpace.

When being early makes them more money

[EmbeddedJanitor]

How to score at a college party? Come late. Girls are drunk and horny. Guys are to drunk to take advantage.

MS has been using lateness as a business model for a long time and it has worked for them. Let someone else soften up the marketplace. Let the competitior burn themselves out. Come late and you can throw the big pile of cash around to get what you want. If the model is working, why change it?

Forums.... phpBB?

[FliesLikeABrick]

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

History of Wallop

[texaport]

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 ?

roffle

[SuperStretch]

This is going to be the "Zune" of the social network world. Once again MSFT, a few years too lame.. oops i mean late.