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Spaces survey hints at key areas for development

With user feedback being a key driving force behind Windows Live, the Windows Live Spaces survey currently linked from the Spaces homepage gives a possible insight into areas the Spaces team may be looking to develop.

Unsurprisingly a key theme throughout the survey is social networking, in particular around extending social networks to sub-communities of friends, with "tools that would facilitate sharing ". With a Windows Live update for MSN Groups still to appear, this would seem like a logical area to update and expand upon.

Another question that caught my eye was the mention of Spaces "hosting information on social events in the real world", something which has been rumoured previously in the form of events integration in Windows Live Calendar. It's acknowledged that Microsoft is sometimes a follower and not a leader, and in this case it sounds like they have noticed the success of Facebook & Co.

Finally there are numerous references to sharing photos and digital memories. This is definitely an area that Spaces has needed to improve since v1, in particular the almost unbearable downgrading of image quality and size. Until this is sorted, its difficult to see how Spaces can make any headway against the other social networking/image hosting sites out there.

Any other key areas touched upon in the survey that I missed, or you feel should have been included for user feedback?

Published Apr 09 2007, 10:26 PM by Chris
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Comments

 

Zaarin said:

Yes. The current way Spaces does photos is very poor, and needs much improvement.

Quality of Photos/Ability to tag them/Set permissions on Albums/Ease of deleting albums - how often do you see empty albums because people can't find how to delete them?

April 10, 2007 1:50 AM
 

tophtucker said:

I think it could be interesting if they developed more... mature blogging options. Folks like Brandon LeBlanc are experimenting with using it as a blogging platform now, but it seems like it could benefit from way, waaaay more customization options.

I think it'd be interesting if they split the blogging side of things off into a Windows Live Blogs service that allows for high levels of customization. (That's what I think most people want for a blog, after all, as opposed to a social networking site, which--partially by necessity--must be pretty structured.) Spaces wouldn't change--it would just automatically incorporate your WL Blog, and display it like it currently does in Spaces. But for those who are on Spaces for blogging and not social networking, it could be interesting.

Then again, maybe not. :)

April 10, 2007 1:51 AM
 

tophtucker said:

I also agree with the photo bit. We could see Spaces grow into a real Flickr competitor if it really stepped up its game in that regard.

But there's also the excellent point of how "It's acknowledged that Microsoft is sometimes a follower and not a leader." I'd like to see them do some really great, original things with spaces. We'll see.

April 10, 2007 2:01 AM
 

TheViewMaster said:

Spaces? ...Does IT Work, Yet?

CobWebs??? I Need To UpDate But, It's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO S-L-OOOOOOWWWWW!!!

Takes 2EVER n'E-V-E-R!!!

I *HATE* IT!

Blah!

:-(

Aloha!

;-)

April 11, 2007 10:27 AM

About Chris

Chris has a regular day job, therefore needs to insert the standard blogger disclaimer:

Please note that the views expressed here at LiveSide.net reflect the views of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of their associated employers, companies or organizations.
You can contact Chris via email about anything regarding LiveSide or Windows Live - chris*at*liveside.net

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