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Microsoft Launches Social Network
Posted by
Zonk
on Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:35 AM
from the bill-is-your-buddy dept.
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."
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How Ray Ozzie is Changing Microsoft 266 comments
prostoalex writes "The October issue of Wired magazine takes a look at Ray Ozzie's work with Microsoft. To hear the article describe it, he's rebuilding the company from the ground up. A 70,000-employee company is quietly changing its ways by thinking of software as deliverable services that perhaps could be rented on a monthly subscription basis." From the article: "There are, of course, two major reasons for Ozzie's ascendancy at Microsoft: Gates and Ballmer. Ozzie is one of the few technologists anywhere whom they respect; they'd been trying for years to get him to join the company. Now he's carrying their hopes for the future, and it's a heavy load. Ozzie needs to move Microsoft from selling software in a box to selling lightning-fast, powerful online applications ranging from gaming to spreadsheets. The risks are enormous. The mission is to radically alter the way the company sells its most profitable software and to pursue the great unknown of so-called Web services - trading an old cash cow for an as-yet-to-be-determined cash cow. No, Microsoft doesn't think its customers will stop using PCs with hard drives and work entirely online, but the desktop era is drawing to a close, and that promises to force some painful trade-offs."
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A slice of M$, a la mode (Score:4, Insightful)
(http://www.dragonswest.com/ | Last Journal: Monday November 05, @07:35PM)
Wallop brands itself as 'the exclusive social experience', and is technically a separate company, a startup that's based on technologies developed by Microsoft Research. As far as revenues, Wallop 'plans to sell graphics and other features people can use to decorate their personal profile pages'
Exclusive? I suppose the old invite a friend to join thing is the barrier to keeping seedier people (like most slashdotters and OSS & Linux evangelists) out.
'Sell graphics and other features ...' Hey, I've got an idea. Why not just build your own website and run a blog on it. Sounds cheaper and more exclusive.
'technologies developed by Microsoft Research' Does this mean there will be an endless parade of vulnerabilities and patches? That's what I associate with their technologies, based upon a very well established track record. I see it features Flash on the home page. What happened to Microsoft's alternative to that?
Late to yet another dance, Microsoft attempts once again to show they brought the best date. Not a bad looker, but just don't ask about the white streaks in her hair and the bolt in her neck...
in soviet russia invite wallops YOU!
Re:A slice of M$, a la mode (Score:5, Funny)
Front page is pointless (Score:5, Interesting)
(http://membled.com/)
Re:A slice of M$, a la mode (Score:4, Interesting)
(http://timgray.blogspot.com/)
Selling graphics... (Score:2)
(http://www.creimer.ws/ | Last Journal: Friday January 26 2007, @12:40PM)
Microsoft should have this monopoly nailed down shut.
Ouch! (Score:5, Funny)
"Hey Joe! I just walloped you!"
"Ow! Screw you!"
Microsoft uses IRC? (Score:2, Interesting)
$ocial network (Score:5, Funny)
Who do you want to meet today? (Score:4, Funny)
(http://megazone.bigpanda.com/~wolf/)
Microsoft does not own this... (Score:5, Informative)
(http://www.mentallyretired.com/)
NEW! KidneyPunch.com (Score:1)
(http://www.everylastpenny.com/)
An appropriate name (Score:5, Insightful)
(Last Journal: Friday November 09, @01:18PM)
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.
MS Driven Technology... but NOT ASPX (Score:1, Funny)
Microsoft Meets Micropayments! (Score:2)
Brilliant new idea: micropayments [penny-arcade.com]! It can't possibly fail!
Seriously, though, ringtones, horse barding, web decor... in real life we call this "nickel and diming" people to death. But with technology it's a brilliant new business model? Sounds to me like there's not enough competition out there inspiring others to win customers by adding value rather than sitting around subtracting value in new and creative ways in order to hold something back for later sale.
Undercoating, rustproofing [seinology.com]... oh, did you want a legible font on your personal page? Yeah that's going to cost you extra...
In a Microsoft social networking site... (Score:5, Funny)
"It looks like you are need some friends. Would you like some help with that?"
Possible Slogan? (Score:2)
What a stupid name. Then again, these days "Absurdly stupid" == "'Edgy'. Exhibits a penchant for the uncanny or unusual. A Likely source of pleasant surprises."
launches? (Score:1)
Uh Oh (Score:2)
(Last Journal: Wednesday February 14 2007, @09:49AM)
I just found a copy of the EULA they're going to use on this Wallop thing:
Is it just me, or does this sound a little ... ominous?
*Sigh* (Score:1)
(http://www.growse.com/)
This was to be expected (Score:1)
I always believed... (Score:2, Funny)
Wallop Forums... (Score:1)
I want one for blogging about my gaming console (Score:1)
Microsoft starts a religion (Score:2)
(Last Journal: Wednesday October 31, @08:33AM)
Dear M$: you missed the bandwagon! (Score:4, Interesting)
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!
Just Playing Catch-up (Score:1)
MSN-Emo Clippy (Score:1, Funny)
For an invitation (Score:1)
(http://sriramvenkataramani.tripod.com/)
Anyways, Microsoft's just going to get Walloped. Anybody who's an anybody is on MySpace/Facebook/Orkut.
wow , with all the bashing has anybody used it? (Score:1)
exclusive? hardly social. (Score:2)
(http://www.tobede.us/)
The whole point of social networking, be it on the internet or otherwise, is to be inclusive, not exclusive. If you're being exclusive, you're not networking. Either they missed the boat, or it was an incredibly poor choice of words.
That doesn't matter, though, becuase in either event, I can excoriate Microsoft and garner more karma.
Marketing Campaign ala Yahoo (Score:2)
(Last Journal: Wednesday November 07, @10:09AM)
Have you been Walloped(TM)!?!?!
What the hell is... (Score:1)
msn spaces, OS (Score:2)
(Last Journal: Thursday December 08 2005, @04:33PM)
Those of you who say it will fail don't know that Wallop will be integrated into the OS.
Just like Passport and Hotmail were.
Forums.... phpBB? (Score:2, Interesting)
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
Yet another site to avoid (Score:2)
(http://alliance.sf.net/ | Last Journal: Tuesday May 08 2007, @11:57AM)
Windows Live Space anyone ? (Score:1)
(Last Journal: Thursday April 05 2007, @04:28PM)
What do they need two for ? Im not sure how this is a new step for them other than having it under a company who name doesnot contain M$ or windows or hotmail !
Not another one!!! (Score:1)
Bashing MS? Get off the high -horse..... (Score:1, Insightful)
Obviously trying to not show-off it's MS (Score:1)
(http://www.trailofjames.com/)
roffle (Score:2, Funny)
(http://nocreditcard.yourgiftsfree.com/?id=3012)
Wallop, new huh? (Score:1)
three degrees (Score:2)
(http://www.hungry.com/~fn/)
Looks like it closed down in 2005.
Not Microsoft (Score:2)
(http://home.happyface.net/)
Wallop, a spinout company from Microsoft, redefines the popular social networking space by
So no, the article, summary, and headline are quite misleading.
Besides, Microsoft's social networking site is called Spaces.
I saw the title and had a vision (Score:2)
(http://port80ware.com/)
*shudders*
groundhog wallop (Score:1)
login page looks nice.. (Score:1)
i feel that yes, social networking has lost its novelty lately, with hundreds of sites sprouting up, but there are still some good ones..like this one [grupus.com] which allows u to form only 12-member groups.
Haha (Score:2)
(http://andreywarkentin.livejournal.com/)
Overall, at least it doesn't look like crap (hello MySpace!!!).
The world needs another myspace (Score:2)
(Last Journal: Wednesday October 05 2005, @10:39AM)
I wonder if this will die as quickly as Walmart's effort [walmart.com] seems to have. Probably not: the people going to this will be as dumb but have more money available.
Six Degrees Anyone? (Score:1)
(Last Journal: Wednesday February 19 2003, @01:29PM)
Grasping at straws (Score:2)
(Last Journal: Thursday February 09 2006, @01:35PM)
"OOOOH other companies are making money on game consoles we should do that too!"
"OOOOH other companies are making money on online music we should do that too!"
"OOOOH other companies are making money on mp3 players we should do that too!"
"OOOOH other companies are making money on social websites we should do that too!"
"OOOOH other companies are making money on security software we should do that too!"
"OOOOH other companies are making money on search engines we should do that too!"
"OOOOH other companies..." well you get the picture
I realize that MS "innovation" has largely been a joke from day one given they steal or copy most of their "innovations" but its just getting sad watching them. Couple that with them losing so many of their higher ups these days...not looking good for Redmond. I still don't understand how they managed to get anywhere...marketing seems to be the common excuse because its certainly not a good product...but I give you the following examples of MS marketing's pathetic failures. Windows CE, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows XP...Win CEMENT XP PCs into paperweights one desktop at a time.... Or just Windows CE, Win CE, wince (as in wincing because its that aweful). Or the final one that REALLY explains Bill Gates and his must dominate the world mentality...Micro Soft...sounds like someone who needs a penis pump and viagra....unless that was the plan all along...create a shoddy OS, dominate the world, create spambots...get discrete emails for penis pumps and viagra!!! success!! no wonder he is stepping down...his job is done!
Misspelling (Score:2)
M$, the Johnny-Come-Lately to every single party... but tries to cheat its way out by bundling through its monopoly.
Invite Request (Score:1)
(http://flickr.com/photos/slicknick/)
I own Genuine Microsoft software. That has to count for something these days, right?
Troll? (Score:1)
(http://www.myspace.com/everestband)
Re:Social networks (Score:1)
(http://www.moreinput.org/)
Re:Wallop was around before MySpace was even known (Score:1)