Windows Live Spaces: Difference between revisions
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QuickWhitt7 (talk | contribs) m Adding local short description: "Former blogging website from Microsoft", overriding Wikidata description "website" |
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{{Short description|Former blogging website from Microsoft}} |
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{{Cleanup-date|August 2006}} |
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{{Infobox software |
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{{advertisement}} |
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| name = Windows Live Spaces |
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{{mergefrom|MSN Spaces}} |
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[[Image: |
| logo = [[Image:Windows Live Spaces logo.png|center|64px|The Windows Live Spaces logo.]] |
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| screenshot = Windows live spaces.PNG |
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| screenshot size = 250px |
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| caption = Windows Live Spaces homepage |
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| developer = [[Microsoft]] |
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| discontinued = yes |
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| latest_release_version = Wave 4 (Build 15.3.6553.0608) |
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| latest_release_date = {{start date|mf=yes|2010|06|07}} |
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| latest_preview_version = |
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| latest_preview_date = |
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| operating_system = |
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| genre = [[Social network service]]<BR>[[Blog publishing system|Blog]] |
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| license = <!-- Not freeware license --> |
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| website = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://spaces.live.com/ |date=* |title=Archived official website }} |
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}} |
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'''Windows Live Spaces''' was [[Microsoft]]'s [[blogging]] platform and [[social network service]]. The site was originally released in early 2004 as '''MSN Spaces''' to compete with other [[social networking service]]s, and re-launched in 2006 as a part of a shifting of community services away from the [[MSN]] brand. Windows Live Spaces received an estimated 27 million (27,000,000) unique visitors per month as of August 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economist.com/daily/chartgallery/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9981022|title=Face to interface|work=Social networks|publisher=Economist.com|access-date=2007-11-15|date=2007-10-18}}</ref> Despite being considered a useful messaging and communication tool, Windows Live Spaces has been criticized as not being as powerful as some of its alternatives.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,,1403952,00.html|title=''Space Setter''|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|work=Inside IT|access-date=2007-11-15 | location=London | first=Mary | last=Branscombe | date=2005-02-03}}</ref> It was shut down in 2011 due to low viewership.<ref name="migration"/> |
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== Features == |
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Windows Live Spaces launched on the 1st August at 03:30 Redmond Time as the direct successor to [[MSN Spaces]]. According to Paul Thurrott[http://liveside.net/comments.php?catid=2&shownews=359], Windows Live Spaces would have possibly launched in the middle of August. But according to Thomas J.[http://t.spaces.msn.com/], Windows Live Spaces launched on Monday, August 1st, 2006. |
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Features of Windows Live Spaces included a [[blog]]ging system, photo gallery, lists, friends, a guestbook, and a [[Windows Live Profile|social profile]]. A Spaces page could be personalized with "gadgets", modules that enabled further customization, HTML code, and media playlists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thespacecraft.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!1pBU8QRvZvOfXG4QTjpv_GFg!105.entry|title=PowerToys are here!!!|publisher=Windows Live Spaces|work=The Space Craft|access-date=2007-11-15}}</ref> Contact cards were also used in other Windows Live applications and services to summarize the recent content added to a Space. RSS feeds were available for content on a space. |
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==History== |
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| ⚫ | There |
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===Beginning=== |
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Windows Live Spaces began as MSN Spaces and was launched in early December 2004 with the aim of allowing its users to reach out to others by publishing their thoughts, photos and interests in an easy and compelling way. With this goal, MSN Spaces finds itself competing with similar services like [[MySpace]] and [[Yahoo!]]'s [[Yahoo! 360°|360°]]. |
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As well as allowing users to share their thoughts, photos and interests, MSN Spaces users were given over 100 varied themes and several different page layouts to choose from when designing their MSN Space. Users also had the option to set access rights for visitors to their MSN Space based on the relationship between them (e.g. Friends, Family etc.). Visitors were also granted when their contacts' had updated their MSN Space. |
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Currently WLSpaces are best viewed with [[Microsoft Internet Explorer]]. While largely compatible, competing browser, [[Mozilla Firefox]], occasionaly displays pages incorrectly; a problem inherited from MSN Spaces. |
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===Rebranding=== |
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MSN Spaces displayed small text advertisements, often with simple logos at the top of the page. WLSpaces display a single standard sized advertisement banner, which can display either a fixed image, or an animated advertisement in the [[Animated GIF]] or [[Adobe Flash]] format. Subscribers to premium [[Windows Live]] services will be able to turn these advertisements off. |
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[[Image:MSN Spaces.PNG|thumb|right|Windows Live Spaces layout as of July 2007]] |
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On August 1, 2006, MSN Spaces became part of the [[Windows Live]] services platform, and was rebranded as Windows Live Spaces. |
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| ⚫ | There were various, obvious differences between MSN Spaces and Windows Live Spaces, the most instantly evident being a redesigned layout engine. This allowed users greater flexibility in terms of the layout of their Space, for example, it allowed the ability to move the "Title and Tagline" module, where before the upgrade it was permanently fixed to the top of the page. The change also resolved some oft-criticised characteristics of MSN Spaces, such as the alignment of content on the computer screen. |
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As part of the rebrand and upgrade, the [[Uniform Resource Locator|URL]] for all MSN Spaces members were moved to keep in line with the [[Windows Live]] branding. For example, a URL of thespacecraft.spaces.msn.com was moved to thespacecraft.spaces.live.com, with the old URL [[URL redirection|redirecting]] to the new one. |
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==Notable Differences in Windows Live Spaces== |
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===Closure=== |
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Some of the features mentioned on the [http://thespacecraft.spaces.msn.com/ Windows Live Spaces Blog]. |
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On September 27, 2010, Microsoft announced that it would discontinue Windows Live Spaces, and in partnership with [[Automattic]], a free opt-in migration of user blogs to [[WordPress.com]] will be offered to Windows Live Spaces users.<ref name="migration">{{cite web | url=http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2010/09/27/wordpress-com-and-windows-live-partnering-together-and-providing-an-upgrade-for-30-million-windows-live-spaces-customers.aspx | title=WordPress.com and Windows Live partnering together and providing an upgrade for 30 million Windows Live Spaces customers|publisher=Inside Windows Live|access-date=2010-09-27}}</ref> Beginning January 4, 2011, users were not able to make changes to Spaces, but contents were still viewable and downloadable. Windows Live Spaces was fully shut down on March 16, 2011. |
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==Censorship== |
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*Friends Module |
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Windows Live Spaces censored the words that a user can choose when naming their Space, prohibiting for example the word ''whore'' or the so-called "[[seven dirty words]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,1000000097,39175985,00.htm|title=''Microsoft blog service sparks censorship dodging''|publisher=[[ZDnet]]|access-date=2007-11-15}}</ref> In addition, Microsoft has received criticism for censoring the words "democracy" and "freedom" under its Chinese portal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/06/13/ms_ban_freedom/|title=''Microsoft deletes 'freedom' and 'democracy' in China''|publisher=[[The Register]]|access-date=2007-11-15}}</ref> |
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*Friends Explorer |
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*Animated Advertisements (for non-subscribers) |
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*Title and Tagline can be moved |
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*Support for [[Windows Live Gadgets]], a web based implementation of [[Microsoft Gadgets]] |
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*URL Change to reflect re-branding |
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== |
==See also== |
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* [[Windows Live]] |
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* [[Windows Live Groups]] |
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==References== |
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MSN Spaces saw two URL format changes, the last format being |
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{{reflist}} |
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<nowiki>http://*****.spaces.msn.com</nowiki> |
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where asterisks stand in the place of the unique name of the MSN Space. |
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With the move to WLSpaces, came a change to |
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<nowiki>http://*****.spaces.live.com</nowiki> |
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Though unlikely for some time, a further URL change removing "Spaces" or "Live" seems probable, given the initial change in MSN Spaces from |
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<nowiki>http://spaces.msn.com/members/*****</nowiki> |
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to |
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<nowiki>http://spaces.msn.com/*****</nowiki>. |
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| ⚫ | |||
*[http://discoverspaces.live.com/ Windows Live - Spaces Landing Page] |
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*[http://spaces.live.com/ Windows Live Spaces Website] |
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*[http://thespacecraft.spaces.live.com/ Windows Live Spaces Team Blog] |
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| ⚫ | |||
* [https://web.archive.org/*/spaces.live.com Official website] (Archive) |
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* [http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/newsroom/msn/factsheet/MSNSpaces.mspx MSN Spaces fact sheet] |
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{{Windows Live}} |
{{Windows Live}} |
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{{Online social networking}} |
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[[Category:Windows Live|Spaces]] |
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[[Category:Blog hosting services]] |
[[Category:Blog hosting services]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Microsoft websites]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:MSN]] |
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[[Category:Defunct websites]] |
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[[Category:Defunct social networking services]] |
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Latest revision as of 00:45, 9 December 2023
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 Windows Live Spaces homepage | |
| Developer(s) | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Final release | Wave 4 (Build 15.3.6553.0608)
/ June 7, 2010 |
| Type | Social network service Blog |
| Website | Archived official website at the Wayback Machine (archive index) |
Windows Live Spaces was Microsoft's blogging platform and social network service. The site was originally released in early 2004 as MSN Spaces to compete with other social networking services, and re-launched in 2006 as a part of a shifting of community services away from the MSN brand. Windows Live Spaces received an estimated 27 million (27,000,000) unique visitors per month as of August 2007.[1] Despite being considered a useful messaging and communication tool, Windows Live Spaces has been criticized as not being as powerful as some of its alternatives.[2] It was shut down in 2011 due to low viewership.[3]
Features
[edit]Features of Windows Live Spaces included a blogging system, photo gallery, lists, friends, a guestbook, and a social profile. A Spaces page could be personalized with "gadgets", modules that enabled further customization, HTML code, and media playlists.[4] Contact cards were also used in other Windows Live applications and services to summarize the recent content added to a Space. RSS feeds were available for content on a space.
History
[edit]Beginning
[edit]Windows Live Spaces began as MSN Spaces and was launched in early December 2004 with the aim of allowing its users to reach out to others by publishing their thoughts, photos and interests in an easy and compelling way. With this goal, MSN Spaces finds itself competing with similar services like MySpace and Yahoo!'s 360°.
As well as allowing users to share their thoughts, photos and interests, MSN Spaces users were given over 100 varied themes and several different page layouts to choose from when designing their MSN Space. Users also had the option to set access rights for visitors to their MSN Space based on the relationship between them (e.g. Friends, Family etc.). Visitors were also granted when their contacts' had updated their MSN Space.
Rebranding
[edit]
On August 1, 2006, MSN Spaces became part of the Windows Live services platform, and was rebranded as Windows Live Spaces. There were various, obvious differences between MSN Spaces and Windows Live Spaces, the most instantly evident being a redesigned layout engine. This allowed users greater flexibility in terms of the layout of their Space, for example, it allowed the ability to move the "Title and Tagline" module, where before the upgrade it was permanently fixed to the top of the page. The change also resolved some oft-criticised characteristics of MSN Spaces, such as the alignment of content on the computer screen.
As part of the rebrand and upgrade, the URL for all MSN Spaces members were moved to keep in line with the Windows Live branding. For example, a URL of thespacecraft.spaces.msn.com was moved to thespacecraft.spaces.live.com, with the old URL redirecting to the new one.
Closure
[edit]On September 27, 2010, Microsoft announced that it would discontinue Windows Live Spaces, and in partnership with Automattic, a free opt-in migration of user blogs to WordPress.com will be offered to Windows Live Spaces users.[3] Beginning January 4, 2011, users were not able to make changes to Spaces, but contents were still viewable and downloadable. Windows Live Spaces was fully shut down on March 16, 2011.
Censorship
[edit]Windows Live Spaces censored the words that a user can choose when naming their Space, prohibiting for example the word whore or the so-called "seven dirty words".[5] In addition, Microsoft has received criticism for censoring the words "democracy" and "freedom" under its Chinese portal.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Face to interface". Social networks. Economist.com. 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ Branscombe, Mary (2005-02-03). "Space Setter". Inside IT. London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ a b "WordPress.com and Windows Live partnering together and providing an upgrade for 30 million Windows Live Spaces customers". Inside Windows Live. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
- ^ "PowerToys are here!!!". The Space Craft. Windows Live Spaces. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ "Microsoft blog service sparks censorship dodging". ZDnet. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ "Microsoft deletes 'freedom' and 'democracy' in China". The Register. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
External links
[edit]- Official website (Archive)
- MSN Spaces fact sheet