The Latest Windows Live Ideas

Over at Windows Live Ideas, there are some new releases. (Well, new to me, at least.) First up, Windows Live QnA. This site, similar to Yahoo! Answers, will allow users to post and answer questions. Next, Windows Live Shopping. Again, it’s Yahoo! Shopping made by Microsoft. Finally, the quietly launched Windows Live Search products…this is Microsoft’s version of Froogle.

Forgive my lack of enthusiasm, but ahem…rip-offs? Is there really anything new and innovative going on with these releases, or is Microsoft just falling all over themselves to play catch-up in the game of becoming a portal? Yahoo! began as a portal, is still a portal, and make acquisitions that can add to their portal-ness. Google’s niche is search (and ads, of course). Sure, they may release portal-esque products like email, feed readers, etc. etc., but it’s all in the context of "organizing the world’s data," or better yet, searching users’ own data in order to display ads.

So, what’s Microsoft’s big game plan here? Is being the dominant OS in the world just not enough of a marketshare for them? If they weren’t busy trying to figure out how much money they’re losing because they don’t have a Froogle, maybe they could concentrate on the things their customers want done…like that WinFS file system? Now that would be innovative.