I just read that Microsoft is launching a new product: "SoapBox", a service that allows users to exchange videos. Yeah, like YouTube, Google Video and many others. Of course it’s "in beta", to follow the web2.0 hype invented by Google with its Google Mail. It’s a shame that everyone does the same thing, especially Microsoft.

You could think that it’s too late, Google Video and YouTube are having too much success already, but you would be wrong: even if Microsoft’s service is limited (only 100 MB of space for personnal videos while the others are unlimited) and private (you need to be invited, just for the hype "à la Gmail" I guess), they will take profit from its links with their so-called "MSN/Live Spaces" that are already integrated with the very popular Live Messenger!

I’m sorry to understand that we live in a world in which success is based on vertical expansion of services instead of basing on innovation. Damn, Microsoft could afford to create innovative services instead of simply copying other’s ideas, and being so late!!! Moreover, they dare to call them "Live Ideas", they’re not even theirs!! But you know, it’s so easy for them to package all their dumb shit with the so successful messenger so that everybody will use their services for the sake of integration, and hence simplicity…

Again, we can observe a "trust" problem: Microsoft do all they can to turn us into sheeps who use MS "Live" services with MS "Internet Explorer" browser on MS "Windows" operating system. You know, it’s so easy for users that way; why should they switch to something else?

As long as all these services are not fully interoperable, Microsoft will always win.