Windows Live: Internet based Windows?!
Filed in: Microsoft, Web — November 2nd, 2005
Bill Gates announced the new Microsoft Internet-based projects: Windows Live and Office Live. No, they are not the Internet version of current softwares that we know.
Gates said that Windows Live is a set of Internet-based personal services, such as e-mail, blogging and instant messaging. It will be primarily supported by advertising and be separate from the operating system itself. Office Live will come in both ad-based and subscription versions that augment the popular desktop productivity suite.
[ Read News.com ]
Let’s take a look at Windows Live beta.
We can try out Windows Live beta at http://www.live.com. However, the website is ONLY viewable using Internet Explorer. Other browsers (Firefox, Opera and Safari) would only display a search form.
Update: Microsoft has updated Live.com for other browsers.
Once Live.com is loaded, you will get a left sidebar and a content column. Overall, it is clean and ads free (currently). Live.com is powered by AJAX. The content box is movable by dragging & dropping it.
In the sidebar, there are “My Web”, “Gadgets”, and “Categories”. You may add your own content into “My Web”. Under “Gadgets” are several Internet services such as webmail, stock quotes, weather, etc. There are preset site feeds in “Categories”, which give you the latest updates of your favorite topics.
My two cents
I feel that Microsoft Windows Live is very similar to Google Personalized Home. Features such as the search form that is at top of the page, AJAX, web mail, feeds fetching and so on, are in Google Personalized Home too.
I do not personalize search engines as my homepage, because they are not helpful to me. My browser’s startup page is The Hunger Site.
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November 2nd, 2005 at 6:06 pm
I prefer http://www.google.com/ig than http://www.live.com.
Microsoft Rivals Say ‘Live’ Is ‘Dead’
Microsoft Corp.’s rivals in delivering software as a Web service said Tuesday that the software giant’s vision for what it calls “live software” is dead on arrival.
[source: Link]
November 2nd, 2005 at 6:25 pm
Yucks. I agree with you Liew. I don’t like search engines personalized page either. Microsoft one looks and feel artificial.
November 2nd, 2005 at 9:44 pm
garabge indeed. microsoft should work on something more meaningful rather than plunge into the things ppl are doing!
November 2nd, 2005 at 10:29 pm
stchatterbox,
I agree with you…they should come out something new, original and cool ideas.
November 2nd, 2005 at 11:13 pm
I tested the site (live.com) using Safari and Firefox,
For Safari,
I can see almost nothing on the page (just the logo and a search box).
For Firefox,
Some text on the mainpage of Live.com displaying
Firefox support is coming soon. Please be patient
Very bad…
November 3rd, 2005 at 11:02 am
In my opinion, the current version of Windows Live is still not working too bad in Firefox. In addition to the “Firefox support is coming soon. Please be patient :-)” message, and a mal-functioning Mail Gadget, other components are ok. Hop on to my recent post titled Microsoft Unveils Its Latest Canons and Battle Strategy to Take on the Web for screenshots I’ve captured.
The question is, will this Windows Live create another legendary Windows despite the tough challenges and threats from Google.
November 3rd, 2005 at 11:07 am
Seems like Microsoft updated Live.com for other browsers.
thanks for the update, tien soon.
November 3rd, 2005 at 4:13 pm
One thing - I do not think that Windows Live is just an over-glorified start page. Nay. It’s more than that. MS’ marketing department is very sharp. If you know what they are up to.. heheh…
Anyways, I have explained on Microsoft’s Foray into Web 2.0 Here. Apparently, Microsoft jumped into Web 2.0 long before anyone else did. So, I think Windows Live (the current one) is more than just a glorified start page.
November 11th, 2005 at 1:10 am
Microsoft Windows Live Works in Firefox
The Microsoft Windows Live is now working in Firefox.
…
December 16th, 2005 at 2:20 pm
Can anyone send me invite of this live mail beta. i am wondering by one month but unable to get this though i signed up oit already at live.com website….. help me please!!!