Microsoft Launches Office Live Beta
Posted by Tom Warren on 15 February 2006 - 14:16 · 28 comments & 8127 views

Microsoft announced today the immediate availability of Microsoft Office Live.
Microsoft Office Live is Microsoft's corporate version of Internet based services. The company plans to offer different Office Live versions which will be free during beta and have fees attached thereafter.
-
Microsoft Office Live Basics. A collection of free services (advertising-supported) will provide a small business with the core requirements for establishing an online identity. Services include a company domain name; five e-mail accounts using that company domain name, each with 2 GB of storage; a Web site with 30 MB of file storage space; an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop design tool for creating a compelling, professional-quality Web site; and the Microsoft Office Live Site Reports tool for monitoring and analyzing Web site traffic.
-
Microsoft Office Live Collaboration. Designed for small businesses that may already have a Web site, this subscription offering provides a rich, versatile set of Internet-based business management tools that are managed and maintained by Microsoft. Based on Microsoft Windows® SharePoint® Services technology, the Microsoft Office Live Collaboration service offers small businesses password-protected online workspaces (intranets and extranets). Capabilities include customer management, project management, sales and marketing management, employee management, and company administration, as well as password-protected internal shared sites to facilitate collaboration among employees, customers, suppliers and other business partners.
-
Microsoft Office Live Essentials. A comprehensive set of business services, this subscription offering will provide customers with the resources and collaboration tools they need to establish and manage a small business online. Services include a company domain name; 50 e-mail accounts using that company domain name, each with 2 GB of storage; a Web site with 50 MB of file storage space; the same Web design tool as Microsoft Office Live Basics, plus Microsoft Office FrontPage® support for advanced Web design; more advanced Web site analytics; and a rich set of Internet-based applications to help small-business owners streamline and automate daily business tasks, such as management of customers, projects and documents.
If you're interested in the Office Live program then register at http://www.officelive.com/ today. You will require a key in order to gain access to the beta.
- Advertisement
-
-
#1 Posted by xorian on 15 Feb 2006 - 14:23
- Joy
-
#2 Posted by webspot on 15 Feb 2006 - 14:26
- I've signed up
-
#3 Posted by HoochieMamma on 15 Feb 2006 - 14:33
- I've signed up aswell
-
#4 Posted by snuffy on 15 Feb 2006 - 14:38
- wahey I'm from the UK :-) No beta for me!
-
(1 reply)
#5 Posted by Ifoow on 15 Feb 2006 - 14:43
- huh is the domain name free as well?
-
(3 replies)
#6 Posted by mitt on 15 Feb 2006 - 14:47
- I've noticed the interesting collaboration features of this suite, but when I see/hear the term "Office" I can't help thinking about Word, Excel or Powerpoint - and such tools or their equivalent is missing from this offer (be it free or paid). And I don't think something like that would be so hard to attain - I'm thinking about www.writely.com
-
#6.1 Posted by _Dom_ on 15 Feb 2006 - 14:51
- i agree i keep thinking of some google/gmail style ajax intensive website that looks and acts like word/excel/powerpoint
-
#6.2 Posted by trevor18 on 15 Feb 2006 - 15:18
- i have to agree, i believe this is going to confuse a lot of people.
I saw the title of this and thought oh, is that the new name for office 12, then i though, well live is for all microsofts online products so it cant be.
What employee thought of that confusing name!? -
#6.3 Posted by threedaysdwn on 15 Feb 2006 - 19:52
- Maybe "SharePoint Live" would have made sense?

The thing is...
Xbox Live is a set of online services designed to enhance Xbox. Not replace it.
Windows Live is a set of online services and services-enabled client apps to enhance Windows. Not replace it.
So why would you think that Office Live would be meant to replace Office???
-
#7 Posted by Mr. Dee on 15 Feb 2006 - 14:52
- That link does not work, this one does http://officelive.microsoft.com
-
(1 reply)
#8 Posted by serlex on 15 Feb 2006 - 15:11
- why does it go to download IE6 when i click on the basic one?
-
#9 Posted by xxdesmus on 15 Feb 2006 - 15:38
- I so badly want to get into this... *fingers crossed*
-
#10 Posted by Lasker on 15 Feb 2006 - 15:57
- signed up and waiting
-
#11 Posted by xUnix on 15 Feb 2006 - 16:27
- nah, I am more interest in the Office 12 Beta 2. Anyone knows when will be out?
-
#12 Posted by ziggie216 on 15 Feb 2006 - 17:27
- whats so special about live basic anyways? isnt it just like a free web host?
-
#13 Posted by nienor on 15 Feb 2006 - 17:38
- Rock on!
Signed up
-
#14 Posted by drunk_monk on 15 Feb 2006 - 19:26
- I'm from Uk so i guess no BETA for me
.
-
#15 Posted by halloween_david on 15 Feb 2006 - 20:20
- I was accepted into the beta and sent the product key.
YOU NEED TO HAVE A CREDIT CARD IN ORDER TO USE ANYTHING
Even the free one. I've been waiting to see if I'd get accepted for a while and I can't even use it LMAO that's pretty funny. Anyone else who signed up but didn't have a credit card would be mad at that, but I can't stop laughing
Last edited by halloween_david on 15 Feb 2006 - 20:26
-
#16 Posted by LispyGlitter2 on 15 Feb 2006 - 20:59
- signed up an patiently waiting

-
#17 Posted by D.V on 16 Feb 2006 - 00:12
- i wish that domain could be used for a different site....
-
(1 reply)
#18 Posted by xorian on 16 Feb 2006 - 08:33
- It's neat, as long as it stays free .. which it won't

-
#18.1 Posted by Monomongoose on 16 Feb 2006 - 09:33
- Well it says "Free during and after Beta", so with any luck it will remain that way.
-
#19 Posted by LightningTJ on 16 Feb 2006 - 10:42
- Hey Guys, I have a problem here...I got the product key and I am from Australia...all my passport.com informations and hotmail account detail is also with "location: australia.But how come during the registration process i can't change the location its just fixed at "United States"
-
#20 Posted by multimediatechy on 16 Feb 2006 - 19:47
- how come its only for the US (Open to U.S. residents only.) ..why not the UK??..thats totally unfair
not happy
-
#21 Posted by briangw on 16 Feb 2006 - 19:50
- I'm in! Looks pretty cool!
-
#22 Posted by Hipnotik on 16 Feb 2006 - 23:13
- Post your site!
Submit to reddit
Submit to blinklist
Bookmark on del.icio.us
Add to furl
Share on Facebook
Add to Windows Live