就在MSN宽带订阅服务首次推出的2004年,我们更熟悉的Windows Live出现了,是的,它几乎完全免费,并且随着它的快速发展,MSN Premium进入了一个非常不利的境地,有人指责微软收费提供与免费的Windows Live几乎完全相同的服务.Sympatico提供的文档显示,在全世界至少有820万人订购了MSN Premium,然而,他们的一百多美元换来了什么呢?以下的表格可能说明问题:
Nearly every MSN Premium feature is free in Windows Live or in Windows itself.
| MSN Premium ($10/mo USD) |
Windows Live (free) |
Included in Windows (or free from Microsoft) |
| Parental controls |
Windows Live Family Safety |
Parental controls included in Vista |
| Phishing filter |
Included in Live Hotmail |
Included in IE 7 |
| Outlook Connector |
Includes Outlook Connector |
Free download |
| Digital Image Standard 2006 Editor and Digital Image Standard Library |
Windows Live Photo Gallery |
Windows Photo Gallery included in Vista |
| MSN Mail |
Windows Live Hotmail |
|
| Virus Guard from McAfee |
Live OneCare scan |
|
| E-mail virus protection |
Included in Live Hotmail |
|
| 10 GB of mail storage |
5 GB of mail storage |
|
| Junk e-mail guard |
Included in Live Hotmail |
|
| Up to 10 additional member accounts |
Create unlimited linked Live IDs |
|
| Multiple e-mail account support |
Add multiple existing mail accounts in desktop version |
|
| Anytime, anywhere access to e-mail |
Mail available from any browser, plus Mobile Mail for cell phone |
|
| Designer e-mail with photo albums |
Included in desktop version of Live Hotmail |
|
| Alert reminders |
Windows Live Alerts |
|
| Calendar |
Calendar included in Live Hotmail, Windows Live Calendar Beta |
|
| Encarta Premium |
Windows Live Academic Search Beta |
|
| Virtual Earth |
Live Maps |
|
| TrueSwitch for transferring info from other e-mail accounts |
Included in Live Hotmail |
|
| Free technical support |
Windows Live Support |
|
| Firewall | Included in XP SP2 and Vista | |
| Webroot Spy Sweeper for MSN |
|
Windows Defender is a free download for XP, included in Vista |
| Pop-up guard |
|
Included in IE 6 and 7 |
| Photo Story Lite |
|
Photo Story 3 is a free download; Windows Movie Maker is included in XP, Vista |
| Messenger photo swap |
|
Sending photos is part of Windows Messenger, included in XP; free download for Vista |
| Member center |
|
Multiple Microsoft communities |
| Download manager |
— |
— |
微软正在自己与自己赛跑,是停止MSN Premium,还是改进服务保护付费客户的权益,这是摆在微软前面的问题.