Community services—Windows Live

Community services can complement the online video experience by enabling users to share content recommendations, send each other links to content, and chat about content while or after they have viewed it. They even could enable users to create their own content and upload it to the online video service. If these community services already have a large user base, they could bring potential new customers to the online video service. Also, their analytics and reporting services can provide additional insight about user behaviors.

Typically, community services would be provided as cloud services, and, ideally, they would be accessible via the same logon as the online video service, seamlessly integrated with the online video service both for functionality and branding. They might be complemented by (free) software applications such as an instant messaging (IM) client or a basic video editing tool that provide a rich IM UI and the ability to edit user-generated video content before uploading it, respectively.

Windows Live, Microsoft‘s community services delivered through the Internet, provide these

capabilities (information: http://www.windowslive.com/Explore/; service:

http://www.home.live.com/). Windows Live helps users to synchronize the way they communicate

and share information, providing one convenient place online to share photos, files, and e-mails, and have instant conversations. And with Windows Live ID, the same single identity can be used across all Window Live services as well as for logging onto the online video service. Windows Live encompasses several communications and community services, complemented by Windows Live Essentials, a set of free applications that seamlessly integrate with the services and are accessible

through the Windows Live API (http://dev.live.com/), which enables service providers to integrate

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descriptions provide an overview of the Windows Live services and how they might complement an online video service.

Figure 67: Windows Live services

 Windows Live ID, Windows Live People, and Windows Live Contacts (not shown in

Figure 67). These are user identity management services that let users securely log

onto Live Services, manage their contacts from Hotmail® Web-based e-mail

service, Messenger, and Profile, and quickly connect to other users. In the context of the online video service, users might use this to connect with their friends for sharing content links and recommendations and for communicating with them about the content they are watching or have watched. Figure 68 shows the Windows Live login and a list of Windows Live IDs.

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 Hotmail: Helps users to stay in touch with Web-based, easy-to-use, reliable e- mail, with spam protection and plenty of storage.

 SkyDriveTM storage technology: Allows users to store files online and share them with other users. In the context of an online video service, this allows users to share user-generated content.

 Events: Enables users to plan their next event with customized invitations, a guest

list, RSVPs, and a place to share event memories online.

 Spaces: Users can express themselves with their own customized Web page—with

a blog, photos, videos, and more.

 Groups: Enables users to bring their team, club, or other group together with a

Web page, calendar, and more.

 Profile: Users can share their personal profile and content—activities, photos, links

to other Web sites—online with people they know.

 Photos: Users can post their favorite shots online in beautiful slide shows,

available only to the people you choose.

 Calendar: Enables users to check their schedules, share calendars with others, and

get reminders about upcoming appointments and events.

For the most important Windows Live services, APIs have been publishing which services can be used to integrate them with an online video service. For instance, a user might use a customized Windows Live login as shown in Figure 68 to log onto the online video, which would give her direct access to all other Windows Live services without the need to log onto those separately. But Windows Live is more than just Web services; it also includes mobile services for Web- enabled mobile devices. And it includes Windows Live Essentials, a set of free software applications that complement the Windows Live services. Figure 69 provides an overview of Windows Live Essentials applications. In the context of online video, Messenger for instant

messaging, Family Safety parental controls, and Movie Maker for video editing probably are most relevant. These are described in more detail below.

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 Messenger: Messenger can be used to send instant messages, play games, exchange pictures,

and even send IMs to a friend‘s (mobile) phone. In the content of an online video service, Messenger could be used to connect to a friend, share a link to the video the user is currently watching, and chat about the video.

Figure 70: Windows Live Messenger

 Mail: Windows Live Mail enables users to send e-mails and manage their calendars—for

multiple e-mail accounts.

 Writer: Windows Live Writer is an authoring application for sharing ideas, photos, and videos

on almost any blog service.

 Photo Gallery: Windows Live Photo Gallery enables users to upload photos and videos from

their camera to their PC and share them on the Web.

 Movie Maker: With Windows Live Movie Maker, users can create movies from their pictures

and video clips. In the context of an online video service, it lets users edit their video content before uploading it.

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Figure 71: Windows Movie Maker

 Toolbar: The Windows Live Toolbar provides quick access to Windows Live and

Live Search, from anywhere on the Web.

 Family Safety: Allows users to decide how their kids experience the Internet, with

customizable Web filters and contact management.

6.2.2.9 Analytics & Reporting—Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft PerformancePoint Server,