RSSMicrosoft Criticized for Shoddy Spaces Launch
By Ed Oswald | Published August 4, 2006, 1:01 PM
Microsoft was criticized by users of its Windows Live Spaces blogging service after the company encountered several problems that locked some out of their sites for as long as a day after its release.
"We know we disappointed a bunch of you with the issues we had in our rollout last night," Spaces program manager Greg Phipps said in a blog post Wednesday. "We had a bunch of people working hard and late last night to address these issues that did not show up in any of our test environments."
According to Microsoft, the company has several issues still needing to be fixed, including a broken stats page, legacy emoticons not rendering correctly, e-mail publishing issues, and Firefox compatibility problems with the new Friends Explorer.
Phipps invited users to respond with their feedback on the service, and as of Friday afternoon over 100 users had responded, many not happy with the new update.
"Funny these are very similar the problems you encountered when you started Spaces in the first place," a user named Walkingman48 responded. "I guess you don't learn from past mistakes. You might also look into making the place more compatible with alternate browsers. You know about Firefox right?"
Some even called for the return of the MSN Spaces version of the site, which lead Spaces product manager Mike Torres said would not be possible.
"Guys, we can't support two services (MSN & Live) so our goal is to make Live so good, you don't want to go back to MSN anymore," Torres wrote. "Change is hard - but sometimes it's for the best. We really do feel that putting all of our resources behind this new service is the right thing to do in the long run."
Others came to the defense of the service, and thanked the team for their work.
"I must say I am surprised at so many negative comments since the release. I think the new layout is much better and more professional looking since it's now centered (not aligned left)," a user named Elaine wrote. "Yes there are still bugs to work out but all in all I think you guys did a great job!"
As of Friday afternoon, a check by BetaNews revealed that much of the Windows Live Spaces service was running normally.
Another shoddy launch? Must be the same group that worked on Office Live or The Spoke V2. At least I'd hope the lack of quality would be isolated to one group. ;o)
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|Is this really "news"? Come on. Things must REALLY be slow on the tech front. Next we'll hear about cats stuck in trees.
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|It would be nice if they warned MSN subscribers when they do this crap. Every time they add or modify something in one area they shut down or screw up another one of their other services for two or three days. During this upgrade to My Spaces, MSN Chat and hotmail were a mess the whole time they were doing it. It's a wonder they have any paid subscribers left.
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|NO SURPRISES... Screw up, Patch, screw up even worse, patch up even more, until the system shuts down
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|I was using 'spaces' as one of our primary blogs (they has some good features!). The 'surprise' of ad banners at the top, some competing, caused me to port the data and cancel the blog immediately. There should have been a heads up, that in order to access 'advanced features', it would cost $20/year. Serious disappointment this time from MS.
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|OK what's so different between this and the constantly malfunctioning Myspace? The only difference is everyone knows Tom can't code and they already expect problems so they're used to it.
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|Windows Live Spaces Not Ready For Prime Time
Here we go again. Another Microsoft launch, another chance to improve their mind share, another wasted opportunity. I love it when the Microsoft lemonade drinkers say we always had success with our products, or we keep trying until we do. Trying is for losers in the Internet world. Either you get it done, or you don’t.
The Windows Live Spaces launch has been plagued with problems since its launch. And don’t you just love this quote from Microsoft program manager Greg Phipps: “We planned long and hard for this release “Unfortunately, it was one of those gotchas that only showed up once we were in production.” Obviously not long enough, or hard enough.
Microsoft problem is the same it has been for quite a while now, and my guess, will continue to be until it renders them an also ran in the web-centric world. Microsoft is so far behind, that all they can do is play catch-up. They can’t be pro-active, only reactive. Microsoft will continue to rush product to market, to try and protect their monopoly, and in the process, will continue to be their own worst enemy.
When was the last time Microsoft had some really good press, about anything? Granted a lot of it is just Microsoft bashing. But a lot of the bad press points to the big problems. Lack of trust, lack of mind share, and just a whole lot of not caring anymore. Windows Live Spaces is just the latest in a continuing series of missteps. Too bad for Microsoft, it’s not the last.
http://imguessingblog.blogspot.com/
imguessingblog@gmail.com
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|Windows Live Spaces Not Ready For Prime Time
Here we go again. Another Microsoft launch, another chance to improve their mind share, another wasted opportunity. I love it when the Microsoft lemonade drinkers say we always had success with our products, or we keep trying until we do. Trying is for losers in the Internet world. Either you get it done, or you don’t.
The Windows Live Spaces launch has been plagued with problems since its launch. And don’t you just love this quote from Microsoft program manager Greg Phipps: “We planned long and hard for this release “Unfortunately, it was one of those gotchas that only showed up once we were in production.” Obviously not long enough, or hard enough.
Microsoft problem is the same it has been for quite a while now, and my guess, will continue to be until it renders them an also ran in the web-centric world. Microsoft is so far behind, that all they can do is play catch-up. They can’t be pro-active, only reactive. Microsoft will continue to rush product to market, to try and protect their monopoly, and in the process, will continue to be their own worst enemy.
When was the last time Microsoft had some really good press, about anything? Granted a lot of it is just Microsoft bashing. But a lot of the bad press points to the big problems. Lack of trust, lack of mind share, and just a whole lot of not caring anymore. Windows Live Spaces is just the latest in a continuing series of missteps. Too bad for Microsoft, it’s not the last.
http://imguessingblog.blogspot.com/
imguessingblog@gmail.com
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|MySpace? Who in God's name would bother with anything like it?
The most annoying user-unfriendly garbage I've ever had the misfortune to try and navigate.
Designed by idiots for idiots.
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|I agree 1000% (if that were possible). I have said it before and I will say it again, MySpace is the ghetto of the internet.
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|Microsoft should not have gotten involved in this type of service IMO. Way too many legal technicalities--Microsoft is a big target for lawsuits, so when the one's against MySpace fail, they will succeed when slapped against Microsoft.
As I think the whole idea behind the entire "Myspace" type of website is too riskey anyway, I could care less personally. I'll never use either one.
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|...
Not dissimilar to Microsoft's "Shoddy
Spaces Launch" is BetaNew's shoddy biased
censureship of posts here in it's reader's
forum.
Hey, petty retribition against unsanctioned
'puff pieces' ain't any different than major
corporate kow tow !
...
The Computer Rodent
...
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|LOL.
Very true man. :)
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|Rat -
We only censor comments that are "off topic" and include foul language and personal attacks, as the notice above the comment field says. So, I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about here. Would be glad to see examples of where something outside this policy was deleted.
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|C'mon Rat...eat the cheese! Wassa matta, got ya foot stuck in the trap?
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|Ya know, most folks who dislike a forum generally just leave.
Man...wouldn't *that* be nice.
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|now why would we want to leave? We would miss your erudite rantings and trolls. Makes my day to come in here and see what sort of nonsense you are posting and your irrational defense of the indefensible.
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|My trolls?
lmao...
K. thanks. Bye!
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|I have always found it easier to catch rats with meat.
this is topic related beause it has to do with if rats Live in spaces, or not. :p
Latz, SB
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|nice tie-in. ;o)
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|"We really do feel that putting all of our resources behind this new service is the right thing to do in the long run.""
Yikes... so if all their resources are turning up this result, what does that say about the company running my OS?
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|Microsoft is really sucking lately.
They are becoming a huge joke.
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|Let's just hope that MS won't be involved in the NASA space program.
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|Why not they might fit right in.
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