In June Microsoft said that they would soon be aggregating the Windows Live services into a single downloadable installer to give users an easy way to access the suite of services. Today the New York Times is reporting that Microsoft will release the Windows Live software suite sometime this week.
The applications that will be included in the installer include Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger 8.5 and Windows Live OneCare Family Safety. A full list of all Windows live services, many of which are browser based and not part of the installer, is here.
A Netscape-Level Event?
The NYT calls this a Netscape-level event, meaning it may be as significant as when Microsoft released the first version of Internet Explorer in 1995 and eventually brought Netscape to its knees. “The empire is preparing to strike back — again” writes John Markoff.
That seems like a bit of a stretch to me. The important new web services are all browser based, and Microsoft has no competitive advantage over offerings from Google, Yahoo, AOL and thousands of new web startups all trying to move users from away from the desktop. The browser is the future, and this offering doesn’t touch those purely web services. To win today, Microsoft must offer compelling services that appeal to users, not simply roll up a bunch of me-too services in new pretty packaging. Microsoft’s competitors will not, in my opinion, be scrambling to address this most recent volley from the Empire from Redmond.
While I agree on almost everything you say, don’t forget there are millions of people out there who would start using this stuff almost without anyone else noticing. For example, we have GMail, YahooMail and so on, yet, still millions and millions of people use Hotmail. Guess what they’ll be using soon. It won’t be GMail. It’s like MSN Spaces. It’s huge, yet, for many of us it’s like if it doesn’t exist.
I don’t see how this is any different to Google Pack anyway. Has Google Pack been successful? I don’t know but I have a feeling it hasn’t.
Bundling their services would be a great method of laying a platform for things to come, and would definitely help in getting people used to the provided services in the Windows Live ecosystem.
Currently they may not have many compelling features, but I absolutely love the Windows Live Writer, its the best free blog-publishing tool out there, and Windows Live Messenger is used by almost everyone around me, and Windows Live Mail allows me to synchronize the mail from my hotmail account, it would be absolutely terrific.
http://autoxiro.blogspot.com/
It will be nice to see the Writer released, but I agree, this isn’t revolutionary.
Hi Michael,
Me too services that really works can be also good.
Do you think the NYT is being bias for the way the article reads?
Mario Ruiz
@ http://www.oursheet.com
I personally believe it’s a bad idea. I think Microsoft and Windows Live in particular is only good if you use other products and services under the same name. I want Windows Live to work with other services by other companies rather than being restricted to just Microsoft. Google have done this for a long time and Apple have started as well (for example the iPhone just doesn’t support Mac email address, it support Hotmail and GMail just as well).
I have been using the Windows One Live Care for about 30 days or so and I have seen a very significant improvement in the performance of my PC. Nothing really revolutionary in the product, but it cares for many of the routine maintainence tasks that most of us probably take for granted.
Microsoft needs to stop being underestimated. Cash goes a long way into solving problems and they are the King of Cash!!
Everyone seems to slam Microsoft, but however slow they have been, they’re still a major force.
Brian
I agree. People underestimate their power and what the depths of their bank account(s) are capable of producing.
It’s interesting information.
http://www.itechart.com
I agree with Mike. Windows Live software suite is a package of non-compelling services. A cloud service idea seems very promising, but since Ray Ozzie announced it, MS have not yet delivered any compelling product.
I do not think that Microsoft is being underestimated, but I do think that Microsoft underestimates everybody else. Cash does go a long way, but cash cannot buy you love. Microsoft really really really needs to fix its OS.
Google Pack is way better!
Now it even has StarOffice for free!
http://www.goog...kdownload.info/
They spent and probably continue to spend $2 billion on building the datacenter infrastructure for Windows Live. This does not even include what they spent on building out the apps. But cash alone wont help them. Thanks to great browser based software from Google, 37Signals, etc MS has to start making software that is a pleasure to use – not something with a million features, that slows down a system and crashes for no apparent reason.
- Pandu
@ http://www.fewtureweb.com
Microsoft has provided a nice and compelling set of tools here.
Glad to see that posts here are not just filled with jealous Microsoft haters.
I agree with Patricia. Google Pack is way better!
Thingy! Thingy?
What kind of hi-tech term is that?
http://fakestev...er.blogspot.com
This is hardly anything impressive or news-worthy. The only software worth using in that download package is Windows Live Desktop Mail.
Its laid out through history, the empire does NOT need new products. It just need its persistence…and cash. It usually starts with crapola products that improve to being good enough year after year. See what they did to Netscape, Real, Palm, etc.
I agree with the comments on “notorious Microsoft haters” – and also with the fact that Microsoft should not be underestimated. I am looking at alternatives but have not seen anything worth a change.
I sure hope this modular/optional/easy to not install the whole suite. I love Windows Live Writer but have never touched (nor plan to touch) any of their other desktop “Live” client software. Let’s hope this doesn’t become like Apple’s stupid iTunes/QuickTime forced bundle.
More useless junk on my computer. Whoop whoop!
except they bundle …
“The browser is the future..”
With that statement you just dismiss hundres of millions of CPU chips thirsty for something to do. You dismiss graphics cards with hungry GPUs. Ubiquitous computing, cross browser apps, always-on, always-connected, yes. Everything stuck in the cage of the browser, I don’t think so.
@JpMaxMan
I agree with you, almost.
Those CPUs would still be utilized, just up on a server instead.
I don’t see this “computing in a cloud” vision happening within even the next 10 years. People, and myself included, do not want all of our data/information stored on someone else’s computer system.
The privacy issue is part of my reasoning for not liking Google Apps. The other reason would be “what if you’re without internet access?” Believe it or not, it does still happen in this day in age.
“The browser is the future…”
People will use what works best for them now and in the future, and companies that optimize around that will succeed. Microsoft is making a bet on software plus services because one size doesn’t always fit all. There are reasons people prefer today’s clients for some things and today’s web for other things.
Over time, that line will surely blur through more client-like web applications (Flash, Silverlight, Google Gears) and more web-like client applications (auto-updating, service-driven, community aware, graphically rich).
It’s not a zero sum game.
“Bundling their services would be a great method of laying a platform for things to come, and would definitely help in getting people used to the provided services in the Windows Live ecosystem.
Currently they may not have many compelling features, but I absolutely love the Windows Live Writer, its the best free blog-publishing tool out there, and Windows Live Messenger is used by almost everyone around me, and Windows Live Mail allows me to synchronize the mail from my hotmail account, it would be absolutely terrific.
”
Not to mention Photo Library, which allow you to publish your photo to your Space library with a single click
Microsoft didn’t surprise me. I read about the Windows Live Photo Gallery and wanted to try it out. I went to the website trying to download it. Guess what? I couldn’t find a way to do it. Either I’m too stupid or Microsoft people are.
Oh, my… Why can’t they be straight forward like Google?
they simply kick themself with this stupid naming strategy. here comes lesson to google: more people hired, more stupid things going on.
i’m almost sure that people outside US wouldn’t be able to download this. same thing was with windows live writer. why are they doing this?
Well well more applications and the best of all if it Google it will be good. I had download Google Pack and I can tell these programs are very useful.
Empire, shempire. No one currently using GMail Google Docs, Yahoo Mail, 37 Signals et al, Zoho, or any other popular cloud service is gonna switch to this new Microsoft thingy. That leave the millions of blue haired little old ladies and other non-geeks who just read their email and print envelope labels – they won’t use this new MS service. The corporate world won’t use it either.
This lame move to the cloud with a bunch of “mee too” services no one wants reminds me of:
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
- from “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot.
I think its hilarious that Microsoft’s move to the cloud involves downloading and installing a piece of software locally.
Quite frankly, I disagree with TechCrunh. More on that in here: http://www.istu...you-2007-09-04/
In short – that’s how the browser war started and was won by Microsoft.
> I read about the Windows Live Photo Gallery and wanted to try it out. I went to the website trying to download it. Guess what? I couldn’t find a way to do it.
That’s because it has been in private beta which most reviewers made pretty clear.
THANK YOU
hola a todos
hola pa`lante