Microsoft will close So.cl, its very low-key social network, on March 15.
Microsoft soft-launched So.cl to students only in May 2012 and billed it as an "experiment in social search" because posts always started with a Bing search. The service was made available to anyone in December 2012 and then ... crickets.
The service has scarcely been heard of since and if Microsoft has ever revealed user numbers, it appears to have done so in private. Statistics-selling service Statista doesn't include So.Cl on its list of the 22 most-used social networks, so it seems safe to assume that So.cl had fewer than 49 million users, the figure attached to messaging called Kakaotalk. Probably orders of magnitude fewer.
So.cl's death notice offers no explanation for its closure, but does say that running the network taught Microsoft "... invaluable lessons in what it takes to establish and maintain community as well as introduce novel new ways to make, share and collect digital stuff we love."
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Saturday March 11 2017, @03:58AM (5 children)
LMAO LMAO LMAO LMAO LMAO
I'm looking forward to the day when I can ask, "How is Microsoft relevant?" And, no one can come up with a satisfactory answer.
Oh, wait - TODAY IS THE DAY!!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 11 2017, @06:48AM (4 children)
Microsoft makes Microsoft Natural Ergonomic bla keyboards.
I consider myself a principled man, and I hate Microsoft out of principle, but I have to say the keyboard is great and I love it. Honestly.
I guess apple is better at being more famous for their hardware though.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by PinkyGigglebrain on Saturday March 11 2017, @08:03AM
Have to agree, I have one of those Microsoft "Natural Keyboard Elite" ergonomic keyboards. It almost 17 years old and still works great.
Only MS product I've ever loved.
And it works great with Linux :D
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 11 2017, @09:44AM
That's why it's microSOFT,,not microHARD.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Nerdfest on Saturday March 11 2017, @04:57PM
I hade the mistake of getting their first version. It sucked. The shift and control keys jammed if hit at anything other than a perfectly vertical angle.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 13 2017, @01:04PM
I've been using Microsoft Natural keyboards since they were first released in 1994. Hopefully it isn't sending telemetry data to Microsoft on my Linux computers.
(Score: 3, Funny) by aristarchus on Saturday March 11 2017, @06:28AM (1 child)
So far, all we know is that Runaway1996 was not one of the six people to complain. We await reports from our reporters who are reporting from the scene of the reported event. There are rumors that someone spotted "Clippy", but Clippy has been presumed dead for almost two decades. Allegedly, he was heard to say, "It looks like you are trying to have a friend. Would you like me to be your friend? Why are you holding that big gun?" But this is unconfirmed at this time. Stay tuned for further developments!!!
(Score: 3, Funny) by RamiK on Saturday March 11 2017, @09:02AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZUloUdFtSM [youtube.com]
compiling...
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 11 2017, @11:44AM
Google+ . They didn't make the top 22 list either.