Microsoft Is Closing the Social Network You Forgot It Ever Launched (techcrunch.com) 44
So.cl, the little-known and probably much-forgotten social network project from Microsoft Research's FUSE Labs division, is closing down. From a report on TechCrunch: The service was launched in late 2011 as a social community where the objective was "collaborative consumption, not communication." Initially for students, So.cl opened up to anyone once it had gotten going and subsequently added support for mobile devices, too. When word of the project first leaked out prior to its launch, many had assumed that Microsoft was building a social network to compete directly with Facebook -- this was a time when companies might be inclined to do that, remember Google Buzz launching in 2010? But Facebook this wasn't. It actually used Facebook log-in for user sign-up so if anything it is/was a Facebook app. If you're looking for a comparison, the focus on image collages and video made So.cl a little like a Pinterest-style service for visual content.
/. article (Score:3, Interesting)
I wonder how many /.ers remember [slashdot.org]
Re: (Score:2, Offtopic)
I wonder how many /.ers remember [slashdot.org]
Pepperidge Farm remembers!
Modus Operandi (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Everybody does it, google rips off apple, linux rips off windows and apple, windows rips off apple and google... its some vicious cycle, I'll give it that.
Something's wrong. Everyone rips off apple? Seems like it's not a cycle. (For the record, apple licensed Xerox's windowing GUI)
Re: (Score:2)
Apple rips off everyone, too. They haven't been at the forefront of anything in ages. USB adoption was about the last thing. They didn't invent the smartphone or the mp3 player.
Don't you mean Google+? (Score:3)
Don't you mean "Google+", which launched in 2011? If you're looking for a higher profile social network flop from Google...
Collaborative consumption, not communication (Score:3, Insightful)
Seems to me that most "social media" is exactly the same - everyone consuming - there's very little actual communication going on. Just people screaming past each other like two cats with their tails tied together thrown over a clothes line (and if you want to know what THAT sounds like, just listen to Bohemian Rhapsody).
Re: (Score:2)
Seems to me that most "social media" is exactly the same - everyone consuming - there's very little actual communication going on.
Social media reminds me of the The Human Centipede, except it's a closed circle. Empty-headed morons endlessly consuming their own shit over and over and over while desperately seeking approval from the other empty-headed morons in their circular "food" chain.
Re: (Score:2)
Ooh great anal-ogy.
Re: (Score:2)
I don't get it (Score:3)
This was the Zune of Social Media.
Didn't forget, never knew it existed. (Score:2)
I still dislike it when articles, and such, make assumptions about me.
You Forgot It Ever Launched (Score:3)
neutrality of media, my ass.
And... (Score:2)
Microsoft becoming anti-social? (Score:2)
I didn't forget (Score:2)
"Microsoft Is Closing the Social Network You Forgot It Ever Launched "
I didn't forget, I never heard of it in the first place.
Another smashing success from Microsoft.
Hmm, actually... (Score:2)
Momentous news (Score:2)
What? (Score:2)
I've never even heard of it...
And here's the weirdest part: Back around 2013 I got myself a Lumia 1020 and followed Microsoft centric blogs like Windows Central among other Microsoft resources. And I had accounts in weird new social network attempts like Ello.
Just visited the page, it kinda looks like a more barebones version of Google+. Awkward...
Never heard of it, but... (Score:1)
Apparently Microsoft is in the smartphone business now too.. Who knew?
Not a single fuck was given ... (Score:2)
... as MS tries and constantly fails to stay relevant.
The Road Ahead, Bill Gates, 1995.
* Social Networking
I guess they didn't follow the Bing Strategy: 5 years after dumping a Billion dollars into Bing is finally profitable. [bloomberg.com]
Sooo, how is that Windows Phone working out ...