So just like the whole world was keen to try out the latest blogging tool from the Big-M, I too decided to set up a blog on MSN Spaces and found it to be pretty decent a blogging tool.
It didn't take a great deal of time to get started with the whole act of blogging with Spaces. In fact, in under less than 15 minutes, I was able to create and configure 'my space' on the web and post an entry on it too. And in that time I also changed the layout and theme of the blog (the fact that they have pathetically restricted options in this regard is a different thing though.) The service provides some very novel integaration options with other MSN sites to the user such as an integrated photo-album and music lists. Besides these, the most notable aspects are its ability to let you restrict access to your blog and also post through IM. Now that is something that gives this blogging service certain firsts.
However, as mentioned earlier, the layout leaves a lot to be desired and theme changes only allow to change the background colours. Perhaps this is one area where it might need some reconsiderations. And if they plan to allocate users a URL as lengthy as http://spaces.msn.com/members/xyzuser then it simply is not that bright an idea.
Spaces scores well on usability and as there always will remain a trade off between feature-stuffing and accessibility, the service is found wanting in many departments. But then, it is really very easy to get started with it, fairly simple to use and for a non blogger, a fantastic tool to get into blogging mode right away. So while I would not even contemplate about moving from Blogger to Spaces, I might recommend it to my sister.
It didn't take a great deal of time to get started with the whole act of blogging with Spaces. In fact, in under less than 15 minutes, I was able to create and configure 'my space' on the web and post an entry on it too. And in that time I also changed the layout and theme of the blog (the fact that they have pathetically restricted options in this regard is a different thing though.) The service provides some very novel integaration options with other MSN sites to the user such as an integrated photo-album and music lists. Besides these, the most notable aspects are its ability to let you restrict access to your blog and also post through IM. Now that is something that gives this blogging service certain firsts.
However, as mentioned earlier, the layout leaves a lot to be desired and theme changes only allow to change the background colours. Perhaps this is one area where it might need some reconsiderations. And if they plan to allocate users a URL as lengthy as http://spaces.msn.com/members/xyzuser then it simply is not that bright an idea.
Spaces scores well on usability and as there always will remain a trade off between feature-stuffing and accessibility, the service is found wanting in many departments. But then, it is really very easy to get started with it, fairly simple to use and for a non blogger, a fantastic tool to get into blogging mode right away. So while I would not even contemplate about moving from Blogger to Spaces, I might recommend it to my sister.
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