MSN
Encyclopedia
MSN is a collection of Internet
sites and services provided by Microsoft
. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider
on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95
operating system
.
The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its initial release in 1995. MSN was once a simple online service for Windows 95, an early experiment at interactive multimedia content on the Internet, and one of the most popular dial-up Internet service provider
s.
Microsoft used the MSN brand name to promote numerous popular web-based
services in the late 1990s, most notably Hotmail
and Messenger
, before reorganizing many of them in 2005 under another brand name, Windows Live
. MSN's Internet portal, MSN.com, is currently the 11th most visited domain name
on the Internet.
The concept for MSN was created by the Advanced Technology Group at Microsoft, headed by Nathan Myhrvold
. MSN was originally conceived as a dial-up online content provider like America Online, supplying proprietary content through an artificial folder-like interface integrated into Windows 95
's Windows Explorer
file management program. Categories on MSN appeared like folders in the file system.
Then officially known as 'The Microsoft Network,' the service launched along with Windows 95 on August 24, 1995. MSN was included with Windows 95 installations and promoted through Windows and other Microsoft software released at the time. Product support and discussion was offered through the MSN service, as well as information such as news and weather, basic e-mail
capabilities, chat rooms, and message boards similar to newsgroups.
Open access to the World Wide Web
was not originally included in the classic MSN service at the time of its initial launch, but Internet access was quickly offered through Microsoft's Internet Explorer
web browser
, which was available as a download from the MSN service or as part of the Windows 95 Plus!
package.
In 1996, in response to the increasing relevancy and rapid growth of the Internet
, Microsoft renamed its existing MSN service to 'MSN Classic' and created a new version, called 'MSN 2.0,' which combined access to the Internet
with web-based multimedia content in a new program known as the 'MSN Program Viewer.' The service was promoted to existing MSN subscribers beginning October 10, 1996; the general release followed on December 10, 1996.
Microsoft promoted MSN 2.0 with a series of advertisements and promotional materials describing the service with the phrase, "Every new universe begins with a big bang." The company offered the initial release of the new MSN 2.0 service on a CD-ROM
that it sent to MSN subscribers in the fall of 1996. When inserted, the CD-ROM opened to the ambitious and flashy 'MSN Preview,' an interactive video-based experience that introduced current and prospective subscribers to the new version of MSN and described the features of the MSN 2.0 software.
The MSN Preview was formatted as a guided tour of a mock premiere event
for the new MSN. It was hosted by a witty and sarcastic character named 'Michael' who welcomed viewers outside of a theatre
and then guided them through the theatre to meet several other characters, each of whom represented one of the channels of MSN 2.0's 'On Stage' area, which was designed as the main platform for interactive multimedia content in MSN 2.0.
A handful of uncredited actors appeared in the MSN Preview, including then-unknown actress Anna Faris
, who represented 'Channel 5,' which was described as "media
, zine
s, attitude
"; it was targeted at college-age members. The preview also included its own jazz
and pop music
loop that played during the installation process.
Once installed, members accessed MSN content through the MSN Program Viewer, which was essentially an animated, stylized and streamlined interface on top of an Internet Explorer 3.0
web browser. When members signed in, they would be presented with several different 'Channels,' which were essentially categories for the various types of content available on MSN. These channels included new services such as msnbc.com
, a news web site that began as a partnership between Microsoft and NBC
; and Slate, an online magazine focused on politics and current events; both were available to all Internet users, and both are still active, many years later.
Interactive multimedia content was presented in a TV-like format, dubbed MSN shows, as part of the 'On Stage' section. The many shows and sites included an interactive online nightly game show called 'Netwits,' a snarky web site addressing women's issues called 'UnderWire,' and a regular celebrity interview and web-surfing session called 'One Click Away.' These new destinations supplemented web-based MSN services such as CarPoint and Expedia
, which were branded as 'Essentials.' An additional 'Communicate' section was based around e-mail
, chat rooms, and news groups, while a 'Find' section was dedicated to searching MSN content and the rest of the Internet; it also provided a calendar of upcoming events and new shows on MSN.
The new content made extensive use of multimedia and interactive features, including Visual Basic scripting
and early implementations of Macromedia Shockwave Flash
(originally called 'FutureSplash') for animations.
While the MSN shows approach was unique and innovative, the content was not easily accessible by members with low-end computers and slower dial-up connections. High-speed Internet access
was not widely available at the time, and some users subscribed to monthly dial-up plans that limited the number of hours during which they were allowed to access the service. The MSN 2.0 software was also unstable and would often quit unexpectedly.
In addition to MSN 2.0's speed and stability issues, existing MSN subscribers were concerned the transition to MSN 2.0 would break up communities that were established via the MSN Classic message boards and chat rooms. Their concerns were confirmed when Microsoft announced plans to close the entire MSN Classic service. As a result of all these issues, a web site called The Official msNOT Hate Site originated as a negative response to the new MSN 2.0 software. The site claimed Microsoft patently ignored feedback from concerned members and censored anyone who spoke out against the upgrade; it further charged the company's handling of the transition to MSN 2.0 was "insensitive and ethically questionable." Microsoft denied it attempted to silence those who expressed concern about the upgrade. The site also mocked the music loop that played during the MSN 2.0 installation process because it repeated the phrase "too stupid to stop."
Ultimately, the ambitious use of web-based and interactive multimedia content on the Internet during 1996 and 1997 proved to be ahead of its time, and the MSN 2.0 service was not as successful as Microsoft initially hoped. The company returned to the drawing board for its next MSN release.
Accompanying the MSN Program Viewer in MSN 2.5 was 'MSN Quick Launch,' an icon
inside the Windows notification area
. Like the MSN Program Viewer in MSN 2.0, the menu in MSN Quick Launch could be dynamically updated to guide members to updated MSN content and services.
With the MSN Internet Access 2.6 release in 1998, the MSN Program Viewer was abandoned entirely in favor of the more familiar Internet Explorer. Another new version of the service, MSN Internet Access 5.0, was released along with Internet Explorer 5.0 in 1999. MSN 5.0 was largely identical to MSN 2.6.
Around this time, MSN began to focus on being an Internet portal to users of other Internet service providers. Building on the success of MSN's web-based e-mail service, Hotmail
, which was acquired by Microsoft in December 1997, the MSN Messenger Service
for instant messaging
was launched in 1999.
By the release of Windows XP
in 2001 (which also brought with it Internet Explorer 6.0
), content for MSN Internet Access subscribers was offered through a program called MSN Explorer
(MSN 6.0). This was similar to the MSN Program Viewer in that it provided MSN web sites and content through a customized interface on top of Internet Explorer. The program was rebranded as simply 'MSN' for versions 7, 8, and 9, which were released throughout the next few years. MSN 9 was the last version of MSN's special software for dial-up Internet access.
and Canada
, MSN is still a dial-up Internet service provider
. MSN remains the second largest Internet service provider in the United States
, behind dial-up leader AOL
, which had retained about 10 million subscribers by the end of 2007. MSN bundles its dial-up service with an e-mail account at MSN.com and security software such as firewall
and anti-virus programs.
For customers with high-speed, broadband Internet access
, MSN partnered with Verizon, Qwest
, and Bell Sympatico
. Verizon, Qwest, and Bell Canada provide the broadband connection and directly bill their customers. The included MSN software, known as 'MSN Premium,' offered a customized interface similar to the MSN 9 dial-up software and security features similar to the newer Windows Live OneCare
security package. Subscribers received an MSN Firewall and MSN Virus Guard provided by McAfee
, and the Webroot Spy Sweeper for MSN
. The broadband Internet package from Microsoft has since transitioned to the Windows Live
brand name. New customers of Verizon's broadband Internet service may only subscribe to Windows Live, not MSN Premium. Existing customers of MSN Premium who change to Windows Live may not revert back, because Microsoft has phased it out.
and offered basic information such as news, weather, sports, stocks, entertainment reports, links to web sites on the Internet, articles by Microsoft staff members, and software updates. Microsoft's popular news web site, msnbc.com
, which launched in 1996, was also tied closely to Microsoft Internet Start.
was reinvented as both an Internet portal and as the brand for a family of sites produced inside Microsoft's Interactive Media Group. The new site put MSN in direct competition with sites such as Yahoo!
and Go Network. Because the new format opened up MSN's content to the world for free, the Internet service provider and subscription service was renamed 'MSN Internet Access' at that time.
The relaunched MSN.com contained a whole family of sites, including original content, channels that were carried over from web shows that were part of the 'MSN 2.0' experiment (although none of the actual shows remained), and new features that were rapidly added. MSN.com also became a successor to the default Internet Explorer start page, as all of the previous 'Microsoft Internet Start' web site was merged with MSN.com.
In the late 1990s, Microsoft collaborated with many other service providers, as well as other Microsoft departments, to expand the range of MSN's services. Some examples include Microsoft adCenter
, MSN Shopping
(affiliated with eBay
, PriceGrabber and Shopping.com
), and the MSN Encarta encyclopedia with various levels of access to information.
Since then, MSN.com has remained a popular destination, launching many new services and content sites. MSN's Hotmail
and Messenger
services were promoted from the MSN.com portal, which provided a central place for all of MSN's content. MSN Search, a dedicated search engine
, launched in 1999. The single sign-in service for Microsoft's online services, Microsoft Passport
(now Windows Live ID
), also launched across all MSN services in 1999. The MSN.com portal and related group of services under the 'MSN' umbrella remained largely the same throughout much of the next decade.
On November 5, 2009, Microsoft released a preview of their new homepage and logo. It was expected to be widely available to over 100 million U.S. customers early 2010.
Many of MSN's services were reorganized in 2005 and 2006 under a new brand name, Windows Live
. This move was part of Microsoft's strategy to improve its online offerings using the Windows
brand name. The company also overhauled its online software and services due to increasing competition from rivals such as Yahoo!
and Google
. The new name was introduced one service at a time. Windows Live uses 'Web 2.0
' technology to offer features and functionality through a web browser that were traditionally only available through dedicated software programs.
Some of the MSN services affected by the rebranding included MSN Hotmail, which became Windows Live Hotmail; MSN Messenger, which became Windows Live Messenger
; MSN Search, which became Live Search (now known as Bing
); MSN Virtual Earth, which became Live Search Maps; MSN Spaces, which became Windows Live Spaces
; MSN Alerts, which became Windows Live Alerts
; and MSN Groups
, which became Windows Live Groups
. Some other related services, such as MSN Direct
, have remained a part of the MSN family without transitioning to Windows Live.
Following the launch of Windows Live, the MSN brand took on a different focus. MSN is now primarily an online content provider of news, entertainment, and common interest topics through its Internet portal, MSN.com, while Windows Live now provides most of Microsoft's online software and services.
Microsoft has rolled out a new MSN logo, coupled with a major redesign of their overall site. The redesigned site was in preview mode until 6:30 ET on December 25, 2009, when it permanently changed.
group of online services. Hotmail has over 380 million users worldwide and is available in 35 languages.
, which was originally known as 'MSN Messenger Service' and was later shortened to simply 'MSN Messenger.' Currently, the underlying technology is known as '.NET Messenger Service
,' while Windows Live Messenger
is the name of the main program used to access the service. Regardless, the term 'MSN' has come to be synonymous with the service in Internet slang
.
is an internet browser that ties MSN Messenger and Hotmail together into an all-in-one Internet access software program. MSN Explorer 1.1 was originally included with Windows Whistler build 2410. Server versions of Windows Whistler did not include it. MSN Explorer is similar in many ways to AOL's internet software as AOL
has an email client built in and both programs provide access to special members-only content. Versions of MSN Explorer later than 7.5 require paid subscription, however, it is possible to use another Internet Service Provider while accessing content provided through the MSN Explorer software. The latest version of MSN Explorer is 9.6.
A 10th version appeared briefly within Windows Longhorn. MSN Explorer version 10 did not appear in the gold release of Windows Vista
, the finalized version of Longhorn.
Upon confirming with MSN support MSN version 10 will begin rolling out November 2009, with a full rollout finished to all paying subscribers by the end of 2009. Features include full Internet Explorer 8 compatibility, integrated spell checker, and the ability to not include MSN messenger in the installation.
, partnering with local telecommunications companies and broadcast stations to provide service in numerous areas around the world. In Canada
, MSN has partnered with Bell Sympatico
(the ISP
division of Bell Canada
) creating "Sympatico / MSN."
In Australia
, Microsoft originally partnered with Telstra
in 1995 with MSN branded locally as OnAustralia. When Microsoft withdrew from the joint venture the following year, Telstra assumed 100% ownership and rebranded the service as BigPond
. Microsoft subsequently partnered with the Nine Network
to create "ninemsn
".
In Mexico
, MSN has partenered with Telmex
' Prodigy creating "Prodigy / MSN." An affiliation with Xtra
, Telecom New Zealand
's Internet provider ended in 2006 (see XtraMSN).
MSN has many offices worldwide for national customer support. It utilizes the service of call centers around the world. Among the countries are the Philippines
(technical and customer service), El Salvador
(technical and customer support for Spanish
-speaking customers), and India
(customer service). In 2007, Microsoft set up a research and development center for MSN services in China
, based in Shanghai
's Zizhu Science Park. The center hosts a technical support team for MSN services.
List of MSN local websites:
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
sites and services provided by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
.
The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its initial release in 1995. MSN was once a simple online service for Windows 95, an early experiment at interactive multimedia content on the Internet, and one of the most popular dial-up Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
s.
Microsoft used the MSN brand name to promote numerous popular web-based
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
services in the late 1990s, most notably Hotmail
Hotmail
Windows Live Hotmail, formerly known as MSN Hotmail and commonly referred to simply as Hotmail, is a free web-based email service operated by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live group. It was founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith and launched in July 1996 as "HoTMaiL". It was one of the first...
and Messenger
.NET Messenger Service
The .NET Messenger Service is an instant messaging and presence system developed by Microsoft in 1999 for use with its MSN Messenger software and used today by its current instant messaging clients, Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft Messenger for Mac...
, before reorganizing many of them in 2005 under another brand name, Windows Live
Windows Live
Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
. MSN's Internet portal, MSN.com, is currently the 11th most visited domain name
Domain name
A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System ....
on the Internet.
MSN Classic
Nathan Myhrvold
Nathan Paul Myhrvold , formerly Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft, is co-founder of Intellectual Ventures. Myhrvold, usually with coinventors, holds 17 U.S. patents assigned to Microsoft and has applied for more than 500 patents. In addition, Myhrvold and coinventors hold 115 U.S...
. MSN was originally conceived as a dial-up online content provider like America Online, supplying proprietary content through an artificial folder-like interface integrated into Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
's Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer
This article is about the Windows file system browser. For the similarly named web browser, see Internet ExplorerWindows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface...
file management program. Categories on MSN appeared like folders in the file system.
Then officially known as 'The Microsoft Network,' the service launched along with Windows 95 on August 24, 1995. MSN was included with Windows 95 installations and promoted through Windows and other Microsoft software released at the time. Product support and discussion was offered through the MSN service, as well as information such as news and weather, basic e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
capabilities, chat rooms, and message boards similar to newsgroups.
Open access to the World Wide Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
was not originally included in the classic MSN service at the time of its initial launch, but Internet access was quickly offered through Microsoft's Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
, which was available as a download from the MSN service or as part of the Windows 95 Plus!
Microsoft Plus!
Microsoft Plus! was a commercial operating system enhancement product by Microsoft. The last edition is the Plus! SuperPack, which includes an assortment of screensavers, themes, and games, as well as multimedia applications...
package.
MSN 2.0
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, Microsoft renamed its existing MSN service to 'MSN Classic' and created a new version, called 'MSN 2.0,' which combined access to the Internet
Internet access
Many technologies and service plans for Internet access allow customers to connect to the Internet.Consumer use first became popular through dial-up connections in the 20th century....
with web-based multimedia content in a new program known as the 'MSN Program Viewer.' The service was promoted to existing MSN subscribers beginning October 10, 1996; the general release followed on December 10, 1996.
Microsoft promoted MSN 2.0 with a series of advertisements and promotional materials describing the service with the phrase, "Every new universe begins with a big bang." The company offered the initial release of the new MSN 2.0 service on a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
that it sent to MSN subscribers in the fall of 1996. When inserted, the CD-ROM opened to the ambitious and flashy 'MSN Preview,' an interactive video-based experience that introduced current and prospective subscribers to the new version of MSN and described the features of the MSN 2.0 software.
The MSN Preview was formatted as a guided tour of a mock premiere event
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
for the new MSN. It was hosted by a witty and sarcastic character named 'Michael' who welcomed viewers outside of a theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
and then guided them through the theatre to meet several other characters, each of whom represented one of the channels of MSN 2.0's 'On Stage' area, which was designed as the main platform for interactive multimedia content in MSN 2.0.
A handful of uncredited actors appeared in the MSN Preview, including then-unknown actress Anna Faris
Anna Faris
Anna Kay Faris is an American actress, singer and comedienne. She is known for her starring role in the Scary Movie film series, as well as roles in The Hot Chick , Lost in Translation , Just Friends , My Super Ex-Girlfriend , Smiley Face , and The House Bunny...
, who represented 'Channel 5,' which was described as "media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, zine
Zine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
s, attitude
Attitude (psychology)
An attitude is a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's degree of like or dislike for something. Attitudes are generally positive or negative views of a person, place, thing, or event— this is often referred to as the attitude object...
"; it was targeted at college-age members. The preview also included its own jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
loop that played during the installation process.
Once installed, members accessed MSN content through the MSN Program Viewer, which was essentially an animated, stylized and streamlined interface on top of an Internet Explorer 3.0
Internet Explorer 3
Microsoft Internet Explorer 3 is a graphical web browser released on August 13, 1996 by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows and on January 8, 1997 for Apple Mac OS . It began serious competition against Netscape Navigator in the first Browser war...
web browser. When members signed in, they would be presented with several different 'Channels,' which were essentially categories for the various types of content available on MSN. These channels included new services such as msnbc.com
Msnbc.com
msnbc.com is a news website owned and operated as a joint venture by NBCUniversal and Microsoft.In addition to original content from its news staff, msnbc.com is the news website for the NBC News family, with content from the cable television news channel MSNBC, NBC shows such as Today, NBC Nightly...
, a news web site that began as a partnership between Microsoft and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
; and Slate, an online magazine focused on politics and current events; both were available to all Internet users, and both are still active, many years later.
Interactive multimedia content was presented in a TV-like format, dubbed MSN shows, as part of the 'On Stage' section. The many shows and sites included an interactive online nightly game show called 'Netwits,' a snarky web site addressing women's issues called 'UnderWire,' and a regular celebrity interview and web-surfing session called 'One Click Away.' These new destinations supplemented web-based MSN services such as CarPoint and Expedia
Expedia
Expedia is an Internet-based travel website based in the US with localised sites for 21 countries...
, which were branded as 'Essentials.' An additional 'Communicate' section was based around e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, chat rooms, and news groups, while a 'Find' section was dedicated to searching MSN content and the rest of the Internet; it also provided a calendar of upcoming events and new shows on MSN.
The new content made extensive use of multimedia and interactive features, including Visual Basic scripting
VBScript
VBScript is an Active Scripting language developed by Microsoft that is modeled on Visual Basic. It is designed as a “lightweight” language with a fast interpreter for use in a wide variety of Microsoft environments...
and early implementations of Macromedia Shockwave Flash
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
(originally called 'FutureSplash') for animations.
While the MSN shows approach was unique and innovative, the content was not easily accessible by members with low-end computers and slower dial-up connections. High-speed Internet access
Broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
was not widely available at the time, and some users subscribed to monthly dial-up plans that limited the number of hours during which they were allowed to access the service. The MSN 2.0 software was also unstable and would often quit unexpectedly.
In addition to MSN 2.0's speed and stability issues, existing MSN subscribers were concerned the transition to MSN 2.0 would break up communities that were established via the MSN Classic message boards and chat rooms. Their concerns were confirmed when Microsoft announced plans to close the entire MSN Classic service. As a result of all these issues, a web site called The Official msNOT Hate Site originated as a negative response to the new MSN 2.0 software. The site claimed Microsoft patently ignored feedback from concerned members and censored anyone who spoke out against the upgrade; it further charged the company's handling of the transition to MSN 2.0 was "insensitive and ethically questionable." Microsoft denied it attempted to silence those who expressed concern about the upgrade. The site also mocked the music loop that played during the MSN 2.0 installation process because it repeated the phrase "too stupid to stop."
Ultimately, the ambitious use of web-based and interactive multimedia content on the Internet during 1996 and 1997 proved to be ahead of its time, and the MSN 2.0 service was not as successful as Microsoft initially hoped. The company returned to the drawing board for its next MSN release.
Less ambitious attempts
In 1997, after abandoning the interactive multimedia format, the MSN service was again re-focused, this time as a more traditional Internet access service. With the release of MSN 2.5 in late 1997, some exclusive MSN branded content was still offered through the MSN Program Viewer, but the service mainly directed members to normal, text-based web sites that anyone on the Internet could access, instead of interactive shows.Accompanying the MSN Program Viewer in MSN 2.5 was 'MSN Quick Launch,' an icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
inside the Windows notification area
Taskbar
In computing, a taskbar is a bar displayed on a full edge of a GUI desktop that is used to launch and monitor running applications. Microsoft incorporated a taskbar in Windows 95 and it has been a defining aspect of Microsoft Windows's graphical user interface ever since. Some desktop environments,...
. Like the MSN Program Viewer in MSN 2.0, the menu in MSN Quick Launch could be dynamically updated to guide members to updated MSN content and services.
With the MSN Internet Access 2.6 release in 1998, the MSN Program Viewer was abandoned entirely in favor of the more familiar Internet Explorer. Another new version of the service, MSN Internet Access 5.0, was released along with Internet Explorer 5.0 in 1999. MSN 5.0 was largely identical to MSN 2.6.
Around this time, MSN began to focus on being an Internet portal to users of other Internet service providers. Building on the success of MSN's web-based e-mail service, Hotmail
Hotmail
Windows Live Hotmail, formerly known as MSN Hotmail and commonly referred to simply as Hotmail, is a free web-based email service operated by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live group. It was founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith and launched in July 1996 as "HoTMaiL". It was one of the first...
, which was acquired by Microsoft in December 1997, the MSN Messenger Service
.NET Messenger Service
The .NET Messenger Service is an instant messaging and presence system developed by Microsoft in 1999 for use with its MSN Messenger software and used today by its current instant messaging clients, Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft Messenger for Mac...
for instant messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
was launched in 1999.
By the release of Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
in 2001 (which also brought with it Internet Explorer 6.0
Internet Explorer 6
Internet Explorer 6 is the sixth major revision of Internet Explorer, a web browser developed by Microsoft for Windows operating systems...
), content for MSN Internet Access subscribers was offered through a program called MSN Explorer
MSN Explorer
MSN Explorer is a web browser, developed by Microsoft, that integrates MSN and Windows Live features such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger with a web browser. To make use of these services requires a Windows Live ID...
(MSN 6.0). This was similar to the MSN Program Viewer in that it provided MSN web sites and content through a customized interface on top of Internet Explorer. The program was rebranded as simply 'MSN' for versions 7, 8, and 9, which were released throughout the next few years. MSN 9 was the last version of MSN's special software for dial-up Internet access.
In recent years
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, MSN is still a dial-up Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
. MSN remains the second largest Internet service provider in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, behind dial-up leader AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
, which had retained about 10 million subscribers by the end of 2007. MSN bundles its dial-up service with an e-mail account at MSN.com and security software such as firewall
Firewall (computing)
A firewall is a device or set of devices designed to permit or deny network transmissions based upon a set of rules and is frequently used to protect networks from unauthorized access while permitting legitimate communications to pass....
and anti-virus programs.
For customers with high-speed, broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
, MSN partnered with Verizon, Qwest
Qwest
Qwest Communications International, Inc. was a large United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.On April...
, and Bell Sympatico
Bell Sympatico
Bell Internet, originally and frequently called Sympatico, is the residential Internet service provider division of Bell Canada. It was affiliated with MSN. As of June 2009, Bell Internet had over 2 million subscribers in Ontario and Quebec and was the largest ISP in Canada.- History :Sympatico was...
. Verizon, Qwest, and Bell Canada provide the broadband connection and directly bill their customers. The included MSN software, known as 'MSN Premium,' offered a customized interface similar to the MSN 9 dial-up software and security features similar to the newer Windows Live OneCare
Windows Live OneCare
Windows Live OneCare was a computer security and performance enhancement service developed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. A core technology of OneCare was the multi-platform RAV , which Microsoft purchased from GeCAD Software Srl in 2003, but subsequently discontinued...
security package. Subscribers received an MSN Firewall and MSN Virus Guard provided by McAfee
McAfee
McAfee, Inc. is a computer security company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. It markets software and services to home users, businesses and the public sector. On August 19, 2010, electronics company Intel agreed to purchase McAfee for $7.68 billion...
, and the Webroot Spy Sweeper for MSN
Spy Sweeper
Spy Sweeper is a software product that detects and removes spyware and viruses on personal computers that run Microsoft Windows...
. The broadband Internet package from Microsoft has since transitioned to the Windows Live
Windows Live
Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
brand name. New customers of Verizon's broadband Internet service may only subscribe to Windows Live, not MSN Premium. Existing customers of MSN Premium who change to Windows Live may not revert back, because Microsoft has phased it out.
Internet Start
From 1995 to 1998, the MSN.com domain was used to promote MSN as an Internet service provider. At the time, MSN.com also offered a custom start page and an Internet tutorial, but Microsoft's major Internet portal was known as 'Microsoft Internet Start,' located at home.microsoft.com. It served as the default home page for Internet ExplorerInternet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
and offered basic information such as news, weather, sports, stocks, entertainment reports, links to web sites on the Internet, articles by Microsoft staff members, and software updates. Microsoft's popular news web site, msnbc.com
Msnbc.com
msnbc.com is a news website owned and operated as a joint venture by NBCUniversal and Microsoft.In addition to original content from its news staff, msnbc.com is the news website for the NBC News family, with content from the cable television news channel MSNBC, NBC shows such as Today, NBC Nightly...
, which launched in 1996, was also tied closely to Microsoft Internet Start.
MSN.com
In 1998, the largely underutilized 'MSN.com' domain nameDomain name
A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System ....
was reinvented as both an Internet portal and as the brand for a family of sites produced inside Microsoft's Interactive Media Group. The new site put MSN in direct competition with sites such as Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
and Go Network. Because the new format opened up MSN's content to the world for free, the Internet service provider and subscription service was renamed 'MSN Internet Access' at that time.
The relaunched MSN.com contained a whole family of sites, including original content, channels that were carried over from web shows that were part of the 'MSN 2.0' experiment (although none of the actual shows remained), and new features that were rapidly added. MSN.com also became a successor to the default Internet Explorer start page, as all of the previous 'Microsoft Internet Start' web site was merged with MSN.com.
In the late 1990s, Microsoft collaborated with many other service providers, as well as other Microsoft departments, to expand the range of MSN's services. Some examples include Microsoft adCenter
Microsoft adCenter
Microsoft adCenter , is the division of the Microsoft Network responsible for MSN's advertising services. Microsoft adCenter provides pay per click advertisements. This is a service aimed at people who want to advertise a product...
, MSN Shopping
MSN Shopping
MSN Shopping was an online comparison shopping site in competition with Yahoo.com and eBay. It was a part of the MSN web portal. It aggregated millions of product offers from thousands of retailers. MSN Shopping allowed users to search or browse for products. Searches could be sorted by relevance,...
(affiliated with eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
, PriceGrabber and Shopping.com
Shopping.com
Shopping.com is a price comparison service owned by eBay and operates websites in USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia. Shopping.com started out with the name DealTime.com which still operates as a related, but otherwise separate website....
), and the MSN Encarta encyclopedia with various levels of access to information.
Since then, MSN.com has remained a popular destination, launching many new services and content sites. MSN's Hotmail
Hotmail
Windows Live Hotmail, formerly known as MSN Hotmail and commonly referred to simply as Hotmail, is a free web-based email service operated by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live group. It was founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith and launched in July 1996 as "HoTMaiL". It was one of the first...
and Messenger
.NET Messenger Service
The .NET Messenger Service is an instant messaging and presence system developed by Microsoft in 1999 for use with its MSN Messenger software and used today by its current instant messaging clients, Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft Messenger for Mac...
services were promoted from the MSN.com portal, which provided a central place for all of MSN's content. MSN Search, a dedicated search engine
Web search engine
A web search engine is designed to search for information on the World Wide Web and FTP servers. The search results are generally presented in a list of results often referred to as SERPS, or "search engine results pages". The information may consist of web pages, images, information and other...
, launched in 1999. The single sign-in service for Microsoft's online services, Microsoft Passport
Windows Live ID
Windows Live ID is a single sign-on web service developed and provided by Microsoft that allows users to log in to many websites using one account...
(now Windows Live ID
Windows Live ID
Windows Live ID is a single sign-on web service developed and provided by Microsoft that allows users to log in to many websites using one account...
), also launched across all MSN services in 1999. The MSN.com portal and related group of services under the 'MSN' umbrella remained largely the same throughout much of the next decade.
On November 5, 2009, Microsoft released a preview of their new homepage and logo. It was expected to be widely available to over 100 million U.S. customers early 2010.
Windows Live
Many of MSN's services were reorganized in 2005 and 2006 under a new brand name, Windows Live
Windows Live
Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
. This move was part of Microsoft's strategy to improve its online offerings using the Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
brand name. The company also overhauled its online software and services due to increasing competition from rivals such as Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
and Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
. The new name was introduced one service at a time. Windows Live uses 'Web 2.0
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
' technology to offer features and functionality through a web browser that were traditionally only available through dedicated software programs.
Some of the MSN services affected by the rebranding included MSN Hotmail, which became Windows Live Hotmail; MSN Messenger, which became Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
; MSN Search, which became Live Search (now known as Bing
Bing
Bing is a web search engine from Microsoft.Bing may also refer to:* An onomatopœia of a bell sound* Bing cherry, a variety of cherry* Bing , Chinese flatbread* Bing , a German company that manufactured toys and kitchen utensils...
); MSN Virtual Earth, which became Live Search Maps; MSN Spaces, which became Windows Live Spaces
Windows Live Spaces
Windows Live Spaces was Microsoft's blogging and social networking platform. The site was originally released in early 2004 as MSN Spaces to compete with other social networking sites, and re-launched in 2006 as a part of a shifting of community services away from the MSN brand...
; MSN Alerts, which became Windows Live Alerts
Windows Live Alerts
Windows Live Alerts was a part of the Windows Live services from Microsoft that allowed users to get notification of time-sensitive events and information from various alert content providers...
; and MSN Groups
MSN Groups
MSN Groups was a website part of the MSN network which hosted online communities, and which contained Web pages, hosted images, and contained a message board...
, which became Windows Live Groups
Windows Live Groups
Windows Live Groups is an online service by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live range of services that enable users to create their social groups for sharing, discussion and coordination.-Features:...
. Some other related services, such as MSN Direct
MSN Direct
MSN Direct is an FM radio-based digital service which allows 'SPOT' portable devices to receive information from MSN services. Devices that support MSN Direct include wristwatches, desktop clocks, in-car GPS satellite navigation units, and even small appliances such as coffee makers...
, have remained a part of the MSN family without transitioning to Windows Live.
Microsoft has rolled out a new MSN logo, coupled with a major redesign of their overall site. The redesigned site was in preview mode until 6:30 ET on December 25, 2009, when it permanently changed.
Other services known as "MSN"
In addition to the Internet service provider and the Internet portal, the name "MSN" has been used for a number of related services. The two most popular of these are Hotmail and Messenger. For further information, see List of MSN services.Hotmail
Hotmail is a free web-based e-mail service by Microsoft. Originally started as an independent service in 1996, it became part of the MSN family in 1997. Since 2006, it has been part of Microsoft's Windows LiveWindows Live
Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
group of online services. Hotmail has over 380 million users worldwide and is available in 35 languages.
MSN Messenger
MSN launched an instant messaging service in 1999 to compete with AOL Instant MessengerAOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger is an instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the proprietary OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol to allow registered users to communicate in real time. It was released by AOL in May 1997...
, which was originally known as 'MSN Messenger Service' and was later shortened to simply 'MSN Messenger.' Currently, the underlying technology is known as '.NET Messenger Service
.NET Messenger Service
The .NET Messenger Service is an instant messaging and presence system developed by Microsoft in 1999 for use with its MSN Messenger software and used today by its current instant messaging clients, Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft Messenger for Mac...
,' while Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
is the name of the main program used to access the service. Regardless, the term 'MSN' has come to be synonymous with the service in Internet slang
Internet slang
Internet slang is a type of slang that Internet users have popularized, and in many cases, have coined. Such terms often originate with the purpose of saving keystrokes. Many people use the same abbreviations in texting and instant messaging, and social networking websites...
.
MSN Explorer
MSN ExplorerMSN Explorer
MSN Explorer is a web browser, developed by Microsoft, that integrates MSN and Windows Live features such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger with a web browser. To make use of these services requires a Windows Live ID...
is an internet browser that ties MSN Messenger and Hotmail together into an all-in-one Internet access software program. MSN Explorer 1.1 was originally included with Windows Whistler build 2410. Server versions of Windows Whistler did not include it. MSN Explorer is similar in many ways to AOL's internet software as AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
has an email client built in and both programs provide access to special members-only content. Versions of MSN Explorer later than 7.5 require paid subscription, however, it is possible to use another Internet Service Provider while accessing content provided through the MSN Explorer software. The latest version of MSN Explorer is 9.6.
A 10th version appeared briefly within Windows Longhorn. MSN Explorer version 10 did not appear in the gold release of Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
, the finalized version of Longhorn.
Upon confirming with MSN support MSN version 10 will begin rolling out November 2009, with a full rollout finished to all paying subscribers by the end of 2009. Features include full Internet Explorer 8 compatibility, integrated spell checker, and the ability to not include MSN messenger in the installation.
International services
Microsoft extended its MSN services beyond the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, partnering with local telecommunications companies and broadcast stations to provide service in numerous areas around the world. In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, MSN has partnered with Bell Sympatico
Bell Sympatico
Bell Internet, originally and frequently called Sympatico, is the residential Internet service provider division of Bell Canada. It was affiliated with MSN. As of June 2009, Bell Internet had over 2 million subscribers in Ontario and Quebec and was the largest ISP in Canada.- History :Sympatico was...
(the ISP
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
division of Bell Canada
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
) creating "Sympatico / MSN."
In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Microsoft originally partnered with Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
in 1995 with MSN branded locally as OnAustralia. When Microsoft withdrew from the joint venture the following year, Telstra assumed 100% ownership and rebranded the service as BigPond
BigPond
BigPond is an Australian Internet service provider and is a product of Telstra. BigPond is Australia's largest ISP and based in Melbourne.- Internet :...
. Microsoft subsequently partnered with the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
to create "ninemsn
NineMSN
ninemsn is an Australian 50/50 joint venture between Microsoft and Nine Entertainment Co.. It effectively acts as the website for both the Nine Network and MSN, and is one of Australia's most popular websites...
".
In Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, MSN has partenered with Telmex
Telmex
Telmex is a telecommunications company headquartered in Mexico City that provides telecommunication products and services in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil and other countries in Latin America. In addition to traditional fixed-line telephone service, Telmex also offers Internet access, data,...
' Prodigy creating "Prodigy / MSN." An affiliation with Xtra
Xtra (ISP)
Xtra Limited is New Zealand's largest Internet service provider . It was founded in 1996 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom New Zealand. Xtra has provided dial-up Internet access throughout New Zealand since its inception...
, Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
's Internet provider ended in 2006 (see XtraMSN).
MSN has many offices worldwide for national customer support. It utilizes the service of call centers around the world. Among the countries are the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
(technical and customer service), El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
(technical and customer support for Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-speaking customers), and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(customer service). In 2007, Microsoft set up a research and development center for MSN services in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, based in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
's Zizhu Science Park. The center hosts a technical support team for MSN services.
List of MSN local websites:
| Africa: |
| South Africa |
| Maghreb |
| Americas: |
| Argentina |
| Brazil |
| Canada: English |
| Canada: French |
| Chile |
| Colombia |
| Costa Rica |
| Latin America |
| Mexico |
| Peru |
| United States: English |
| United States: Spanish |
| Venezuela |
| Asia: |
| China |
| Hong Kong |
| India |
| Indonesia |
| Japan |
| Korea |
| Malaysia |
| Philippines |
| Singapore |
| Taiwan |
| Thailand |
| Oceania: |
| Australia |
| New Zealand |
| Europe & Middle East: |
| Arabia |
| Austria |
| Belgium (Dutch) |
| Belgium (French) |
| Denmark |
| Finland |
| France |
| Germany |
| Greece |
| Hungary |
| Ireland |
| Israel |
| Italy |
| Netherlands |
| Norway |
| Poland |
| Portugal |
| Russia |
| Spain |
| Sweden |
| Switzerland (German) |
| Switzerland (French) |
| Turkey |
| United Kingdom |
See also
- Comparison of instant messaging clientsComparison of instant messaging clientsThe following tables compare general and technical information for a number of instant messaging clients. Please see the individual products' articles for further information. This article is not all-inclusive or necessarily up-to-date...
- MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
- Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
- MSN ChatMSN ChatMSN Chat was the Microsoft Network version of IRCX , which replaced Microsoft Chat, a set of Exchange-based IRCX servers first available in the Microsoft Comic Chat client, although Comic Chat was not required to connect.- History :Client CompatibilityAccording to the MSN Chat website, the...
- MSN Messenger
- MSN Search
- MSN SoapboxMSN SoapboxSoapbox on MSN Video was a service from Microsoft via its MSN portal. It is similar to YouTube in that it is an internet video-sharing service. As of December 17, 2006, it was an invitation-only beta. In February 2007 it entered public beta. In order to be able to upload content, users are...
- MSN VideoMSN VideoMSN Video is an Australian video streaming service from ninemsn as well as a United Kingdom internet television service from MSN. It was rebranded on March 11, 2010....
- msnbc.comMsnbc.commsnbc.com is a news website owned and operated as a joint venture by NBCUniversal and Microsoft.In addition to original content from its news staff, msnbc.com is the news website for the NBC News family, with content from the cable television news channel MSNBC, NBC shows such as Today, NBC Nightly...