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MSN stands for The Microsoft Network. MSN is an Internet service provider and web portal created by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, coinciding with the release of Windows 95 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Msn ). Initially, Microsoft couldn’t decide whether its online network should be a fee-based Internet gateway like AOL, or a series of free websites like Yahoo!, so it ended up doing both (Yang, 2000). MSN became an integrated network of content and services that helped users of the network get more from the Web (Mehdi, 2000). With nine million subscribers, MSN today rates as the second largest Internet service provider in the United States of America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Msn).
In the United States, MSN has long run in competition with Yahoo! and AOL, in regards to not only the services it provides online, but also in regards to Internet subscription (Hansell, 2004). MSN got out of selling DSL access in 2003 because it wanted to concentrate on selling Internet services that customers of any broadband provider could buy (Harrison, 2003). By 2004, Microsoft was offering services to people who bought broadband from phone and cable companies. At $5.95 a month, MSN Plus expanded email services, while MSN Premium added firewall and virus software and allowed customers access to web casts of major league baseball for $9.95 a month (Hansell, 2004). The company’s online services also continued to grow. In November 2004, MSN unveiled a search engine to compete with Google and Yahoo! (Kladko, 2004).
In Australia, upon the launch of MSN in 1995, Microsoft struck a deal with Telstra and created a joint venture called ‘On Australia’, which remained responsible for all aspects of Australian participation in The Microsoft Network (Vines, 1995).
By 1997, MSN services in Australia became the responsibility of www.ninemsn.com.au. Ninemsn is a joint venture between the Microsoft Corporation and prominent Australian media company Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL). Ninemsn provides a platform for content owned by the Nine Network Australia and the Australian Consolidated Press (ACP) (http://mediacentre.ninemsn.com.au/mediacentre/about.aspx).
Ninemsn provides a platform for:
Magazines such as:
TV Shows such as:
Ninemsn also provides a platform for an Online Dating service, job search, auto sales and real estate, as well as access to games and other entertainment options such as music downloads (www.ninemsn.com.au).
The label MSN has become synonymous with two of the world’s most recognized Web services – Hotmail and MSN Messenger.
Hotmail is the world’s largest email system (Mehdi, 2000), and as of August 30, 2005, had over 221 million users worldwide. Launched on Independence Day (July 4) 1996 by Jack Smith and Sabeer Bhatia, Hotmail was purchased by Microsoft in December 1997, having already gained over 8 million subscribers. Hotmail offers 250MB storage to users, and allows a 10MB attachment per message sent. The free email service is available in 15 languages and currently services, according to comScore Media Matrix data, over 35.5% of the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail).
MSN Messenger is Microsoft’s instant messaging service for Windows computers. The service was first launched in July 1999, and has progressed to version 7.5. Versions 7.0 and beyond provide access to webcam and interactive games, and the ability to transfer files between users. Although Messenger faces stiff competition from AIM (AOL’s messenger service) and Yahoo Instant Messenger, it still remains a popular means of communication around the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN_Messenger).
Further information can be found at:
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Lauren Spackman 21:02, 19 Oct 2005 (EST)
