Easy access to Microsoft's next-generation tools [BT broadband office]

Easy access to Microsoft's next-generation tools

Posted 28 September 2007 at 8:23AM by Simon Dickson in IT systems and support

The Windows Live brand is Microsoft's response to the growth of online services, which could ultimately challenge its dominant position on the desktop. With so much happening on the web, and especially through the web browser, why do you need Windows any more?

It's been quite difficult to keep track of all the various Live projects coming out of Microsoft, so it's some relief that they're launching a single place to get all the latest offerings, and a simple way to install them. In many cases, these are updated versions of programs you may well already have, so even if you're already alive to Live, it's still worth a look.

Some of the offerings you may not already know: Windows Live Mail, which is basically Outlook Express for the online era; OneCare Family Safety, to help manage and monitor what your kids are doing with your computer; and Windows Live Writer, their excellent blogging tool for use with all common platforms, not just their own Spaces service.

Many of these tools still carry 'beta' status, so you may not want to use them on mission-critical machines, just in case; and feedback on the project team's blog suggests there have been issues with unrequested items being installed, and no support for 64-bit systems. Consider yourselves warned.

Tags: microsoft, msn, onecare, windows live, windows live writer

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Comments

1. At September 28, 2007 11:04 PM, kim wrote:

there always seem to be a problem with loads of add ons and as you say unrequested items being added with microsoft downloads these days eg unnecessary bulk and system start up files.
has anyone tried windows live mail, is it worth upgrading in favour of outlook express or not worth the hassel, ie if its not broken why brake it - is it sometimes just change for the sake of it or because we all seem to love upgrading our software from time to time

2. At October 2, 2007 9:12 AM, Chris Paton wrote:

To be honest, everyones different in this aspect. For instance I myself do enjoy upgrading, but I won't upgrade until a couple of releases after if I can get away with it.

Another example is of one of my old friends fathers, who owns a pine furniture store, and he would not leave using his old DOS promt machine for doing his taxes and spreadsheets as he knew them in and out, he just couldn't enjoy the user interface of windows or linux or anything like that, as he got more control from DOS. So I guess this is what kim just said, if you like it, don't break it, theres no point.

3. At October 2, 2007 10:07 AM, anjanesh wrote:

Microsoft has has now released Live Workspace in beta yesterday - supposedly to compete against the likes of GDocs and Zoho.
Live mail has a got a nice interface but it has miles to go before it can become an integral part. My personal feeling is that it tends to lock in the user to its platform.
MS is also out with 'forefront ' a new security platform aimed at corporates.

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