October 16, 2008
12:03 am
MSN Groups Closing Feb 21′09: Windows Live Groups begins Nov 17′08
We’ve been hearing rumors of the closure of MSN Groups and its replacement by Windows Live Groups for years now. In an email, Claudia, Support Windows MSN Groups reveals that MSN Groups is “to close on February 21, 2009”, and that Windows Live Groups will launch on November 17, 2008.
From Claudia's email it appears that MSN Groups users will not be able to migrate directly to Windows Live Groups. Apparently, however, a service, called Multiply, will be offered in order to migrate MSN Groups to Multiply so that they can be preserved after MSN Groups is closed. The Spaces site referenced in the email is restricted access, however a SkyDrive folder on that site contains following four documents that relate to Multiply:
- Community Web Folder
- MSN Groups Sample Re-Direct Page
- Multiple Step-by-Step Migration Guide
- Multiple Groups Features
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Hi!
This is Archana over at BigTent. I moved my multiples group from MSN to BigTent in the summer of 2007 and we have loved all the added benefits, including one-on-one support to get up and running.
If you're looking for a new home for your group, BigTent Groups compares well to MSN Groups. We have forums, photos, reviews, files, email capability, and member management. We would be thrilled to support your community! Here's a blog post about how to move your group over: http://blog.bigtent.com/2009/0.....s-leaders/
Microsoft should have gotten rid of MSN Groups a long time ago. It really doesn't compare to what Yahoo and Google provide (i.e., Yahoo and Google Groups). So, I would assume that the new Windows Live Groups will be very similar to those and will connect to other Windows Live properties.
My company, Convos, also has an online group service which is like a more robust version of Yahoo Groups. If you are looking for a new service to use, you can check us out to see if we're a good fit.
http://www.convos.com