Microsoft opens up Socl to more testers. May have potential yet?

We're mixed on the whole "social internet thing" with Twitter virtually as far equally nosotros'll become with the miracle. But at that place is picayune dubiety that there is a certain demographic who desire to engage with others on just about everything these days. Microsoft'due south Socl (www.then.cl) project is a research effort to run into what works and what doesn't. While it's not "public" yet pregnant it's non an official service, information technology just got closer to it today.

This morning, Microsoft tossed open the doors to anyone who wants to jump on board the previously invite-only service. We received an e-mail via Outlook.com asking us to join the effort and since it uses your Microsoft Account, getting your "Me Folio" is quite simple...

The service, once known at 'Tulalip', is well designed and center catching, though Microsoft is not likewise clear on whom they are targeting with this project. Mary Jo Foley over at ZDNet does a good job of putting it all into context with its history:

"Microsoft officials have described Socl as a kind of mash-up of social-networking and search that is designed to get the learning communities to start thinking well-nigh how to use collaboration technologies in new means. And co-ordinate to the Softies and reverse to popular rumors, Socl is not an attempt to have on Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler or Pinterest.

Socl combined ideas the FUSE Labs teams have pioneered in some of their other experimental projects, like Montage (a photo collage app) and Kodu (game programming). Microsoft congenital Socl using TypeScript, its superset of JavaScript."

With the focus on "parties", search and post-obit, we'd say this looks a lot more like Google+ than a Tumblr or Facebook. But like that service which has struggled for an identity, Socl too may have problems entering the finicky social-networking world as people take shown they only want so many services to log into.

Nosotros're not too certain if we'll be using Socl but if Microsoft can tie in their other services e.g. Xbox (Music and Video), Skype/Messenger and more, information technology could potentially be leveraged as a powerful too. In that sense, nosotros support the "research projection" gusto backside it instead of dictating to peeps what they want.

Oh and Microsoft, throw in a Windows Phone and an RT app in at that place and maybe we'll use it more, ya dig?

Let us know in comments what you think of Socl and whether you'll use it or non.

Source: Microsoft (e-mail) and ZDNet

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