MSN Groups fermeront en février 2009 : bienvenue aux Windows Live Groups dès novembre !

Nous nous y attendions depuis à peu près un an, le futur des MSN Groups est maintenant connu dans les détails. Ils fermeront le 21 février 2009 pour laisser la place aux Windows Live Groups dès le 17 novembre 2008 !

La mue tant attendue des utilisateurs va donc avoir lieu. Nous pouvons même dès maintenant indiquer son calendrier, dévoilé par Claudia du support, puis confirmé sur le Community Feedback MSN Group par un des responsables : Geri. Toutefois, ce dernier est moins avare en détails que Claudia...

Change is coming

As you may have noticed we've made considerable investments across MSN and Windows Live to enhance your product experience while aligning our online services brands. As we make new product investments, our intention is to offer new products and capabilities while keeping you connected to your online network.

Can you give me specifics?

For now, unfortunately, I cannot give specifics about the new products and updates we have in the works. We will however be communicating updates in the near future so definitely be on the look-out for those.

Any important announcements from Microsoft about MSN Groups will be posted at the MSN Groups homepage (http://groups.msn.com).  In the near future, we hope to provide you with more information and establish communication channels through which you can provide feedback.

We appreciate your continued support as we strive to provide you with the highest quality service available. Thank you for using MSN Groups.

Sincerely

Geri

Voici le courrier électronique de Claudia :

Thanks to contact Technical Support Windows MSN Groups, are Claudia, and
with reference to your e-mail, you know that MSN Groups will be closed and
that is why you can have problems.
That message I sent personally it is true then I pray to you and your entire
community to read the information on closing MSN Groups which is located at:
(_http://msngroupsresourcecenter.spaces.live.com).
MSN Groups service to close on February 21 2009. Users can still be used
until that day, but will no longer have the ability to add additional storage
capacity to it.
There was a company with Multiply, a service of Media Group and sharing
online, to create a migration process that moves the service to MSN Groups
(Multiply), so in that way preserve the online community and the history of
the group MSN.
A new service, Windows Live groups, will be launched on November 17 2008.
Customers have 3 options to move his team to a new service:
1. Automatically move your MSN and its data set to Multiply. This option is
free and easy to use: Multiply move the contents of the MSN group and invited
members to return to join his group in this new position.
2. Start from scratch in another department. Customers can start from
scratch and create your group in a different service. However, we recommend
you leave your group will automatically move to Multiply. This will enable
the group to an easy transition, and users can continue to enjoy the
communities that have created.
3. Start from scratch on Windows Live group. To further expand our exchange
and communication services, Windows Live will launch this new service. It is
expected to launch Windows Live groups to the public on November 17, 2008.
Multiply site: _http://multiply.com/msngroupimport% 20% 20.
Thank you for using Windows MSN Groups.
Claudia
Support Windows MSN Groups.

Nous y apprenons que les changements sont en cours de préparation pour la date du 17 novembre 2008. Outre l'apparition des Windows Live Groups, Microsoft devrait rendre disponible d'autres services à cette occasion comme les prochaines versions de Windows Live Profiles, Windows Live Spaces, Windows Live Hotmail etc. Microsoft ne confirme ni n'infirme cependant rien pour les autres produits.

Autre information importante, il semble que la migration des anciens MSN Groups ne se fera pas automatiquement vers la nouvelle plateforme Windows Live Groups. Nous pouvons y voir par là une vétusté du système actuel ou alors un désir de procéder à un nettoyage grandeur nature.

Quoi qu'il en soit, Microsoft annonce toutefois la mise à disposition d'un outil afin de procéder à la migration si on le désire. Il faudra utiliser le service Multiply. Des documentations expliquant dans les détails la procédure pas-à-pas ont été publiées puis retirées à l'heure ou j'écris cet article.

La Wave 3 des produits ou services en ligne Windows Live continue de se déployer tout doucement... Une belle évolution globale de l'ensemble des services pour le moment !