Microsoft Debuts MySpace-Like IT Site

snib writes "Microsoft has launched Aggreg8, a 'social networking and collaboration space for the IT community.' Apparently, the owner of the popular open-source RSS reader of the same name sold the domains to Microsoft for $5000 in August in order to host what was then called 'Microcosm.' Microsoft hopes their new service, which utilizes Windows Live ID (formerly .NET Passport) authentication, will become a 'MySpace-like forum for developers to share scripts, tools, or best practices, or even to just connect with others within the profession.'"

*shutters*

[corychristison]

May I be the first to point out that it is god-awfully ugly?

Mod me down if you so please, I hope to never see the light of day after seeing what I just witnessed.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

it's quite common

[oohshiny]

Or, as works with EVERY public forum. "Things you post in a public space are public knowledge and use.

There are actually quite a few companies that post source code and other information on the web with licenses that impose obligations on you if you as much as look at it.

For example, go to the Sun web site and look at the licenses under which they make Java documentation and source code available; read them carefully and then roll your eyes.

Minesweeper Certified Solitaire Expert

[turgid]

It will be full of sage advice and code samples from MSCEs.

We have a tester at work who is an MCSE. I've been teaching him shell scripting using bash in Linux, for which he is immensely grateful, embarrassingly so, as he bows and scrapes and calls me "Mr Unix Genius." His productivity has improved 10-fold, and now he has a new job at another company with better pay.

One Monday morning he proudly informed me that he'd spent a lot of time over the weekend reading the Advanced Bash Scripting Guide and that he'd, "copied and pasted it," so that he could, "read it on Windows." He'd spent hours copying and pasting all 800 pages from the web browser into Microsoft Word.

I asked him why he didn't just download the file. "But I want to read it on Windows."

it doesn't even make sense

[Nasarius]

"Localhost for IT pros"? "Loopback for IT pros?" Huh? I would guess they were going for "Home for IT pros", but that's just not what 127.0.0.1 means.

Re:Is it just me, ..

[UnknowingFool]

I wouldn't say lately. I would say for years. It's just now their actions seem desperate because their modus operandi doesn't worked like it used to. They just can't copy a trend or buy someone out. In a way since the antitrust, they have become more emboldened. When the Zune thing was announced, I was waiting for a lawsuit from some of their former PlaysForSure partners. That kind of actions seems to be anti-competitive to me.