Windows Live Installer to be released this week, says the NY Times

In an article appearing in the Sunday Sept 2 version of the online NY Times, with a publish date of Sept. 3, John Markoff of the NY Times reports that Microsoft is prepared to release it’s software “suite” this week:

This week, it plans to turn that strategy upside down, making available free software that connects its Windows operating system to software services delivered on the Internet, a practice increasingly referred to as “cloud” computing. The initiative is part of an effort to connect Windows more seamlessly to a growing array of Internet services.

The article goes on to explain what will be offered in the suite:

The software release will offer PC users the option of downloading a set of the services with a single Unified Installer program, or as separate components. The individual services are Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger 8.5 and Windows Live OneCare Family Safety, a computer security program.

The release, though it includes the Windows Live Writer blogging application…

While it seems unclear from this wording if Live Writer will be offered as part of the suite, and whether or not this will mark the end of the Messenger 8.5 and Windows Live Photo Gallery betas, it seems like a good bet.  We should have more soon, stay tuned.

Thanks, ViewMaster, for the tip!

Comments

  • DavidK

    Oooh, goodie, I’ve been looking forward to this.

    I’m guessing by the timing that the Windows Live Mail application is not going to have any form of calendaring in it since the web service hasn’t hit public beta.

  • jamiet

    WooHoo! About time!

    Looking forward to getting this stuff outta beta. Crossing my fingers Live Writer is in there.

    -Jamie

  • TheViewMaster

    Aloha!

    ;-)

  • Beau

    Any news is good news. :-)
    Can’t wait for this

  • the andyman

    @jamiet, I think you can safely assume that Live Writer will be in the suite as it is one of the main more unique components and has always been talked about as eventually being in the suite before.

    This news did surprise me a little seeing as only last week I heard from MS that there would be another beta of the suite/installer. And when the article says the suite will include “Windows Live OneCare Family Safety, a computer security program” I thought that this was a web-based service not a program?

    Also, it’s worth noting this at the end of the article:
    “On Friday, a spokesman for Microsoft said that services that take advantage of the Web standards effort like Silverlight, a new system for displaying multimedia content via a Web browser that competes with Adobe’s Flash media player, would not be included in the first release of Windows Live, but would be added in the future.”

  • Mephiles

    I’m guessing this means that WLM 8.5 will be released!

  • Chris

    Andy, OC Family Safety has a client component to restrict the websites visited.

  • JohnCz

    Welcomed but I’m surprised that the first suite doesn’t include Live.com domain registration and SilverLight 1.0 installer.

  • Alber1690

    This would also be a good time for home.live.com to launch, as it will have to serve as some sort of portal to the people who download it, otherwise, where else would it all come together?

  • Alber1690

    @JohnCz: I agree, Silverlight would have been a great tool to have included with the installer; hope they think about it.