Eideard

Microsoft said today that it is scrapping its aging Windows Live Spaces blogging technology and will instead make WordPress the default blogging option for Windows Live. It’s the latest move by Microsoft to use Windows Live to connect to other leading Web services, rather than rely on its own, less popular options.

For example, Microsoft has shuttered its not-so-widely-used Soapbox video-sharing site and now gives users of Windows Live Movie Maker the option of posting to Facebook or YouTube. Within Windows Live Photo Gallery, people can post to Windows Live, but can also share photos directly to Facebook and Flickr.

“There are 30 million people who are actively using Windows Live Spaces and have been eagerly awaiting the next set of new blogging features,” Microsoft’s Dharmesh Mehta said in a blog post. “For these customers, Windows Live and WordPress.com have worked together to build a simple way to move your blog posts, comments, and integrated photos right over to WordPress.com and start taking advantage of all their new features…”

Microsoft said that users can start migrating their Windows Live Spaces blog to WordPress today and that WordPress will be the default option when its updated Windows Live Writer blogging tool comes out later this fall. Windows Live users will also be able to send an update to their friends when they have a new blog post, Microsoft said.

I continue to be astounded at Microsoft business incompetence. This begs the question of what is it they actually do with all their employees. I realize their pay sucks compared to many other high tech firms; but, still – they continue to flounder with semi-established packages – then, relent and let them die.

Though I am pleased to see their clients arrive as an addition to the WordPress community.