MSN Spaces is now open, which I just learned from Paul (thank you!) who writes about his first experience on his shiny, new MSN Spaces blog:

This is the first entry on my MSN spaces account. I’ve set this up so that I could get a feel for the “tool” (no laughing in the back!) and compare it to other blogging tools out there. First impressions are that it measures up okay. Lots of themes to choose from. Layouts are easyily changed, trackbacks and feed are supported. You can upload pictures and music lists.

I went right in and activated my new MSN Spaces blog (also see picture above to show what you start out with as default), which was about a one minute job since I already had a .NET (Passport) account. Basically you just say you want a blog, choose the subdirectory name (I marked my MSN Spaces terroritory with my name) and then check a box that you agree to the TOS and then your new blog is created. The next step? Customization.

My very, very early thoughts (keeping in mind it’s beta):
- good to see trackback in play here (Blogger, take notes)
- interface seems somewhat sluggish
- drag and drop picture menu is cool
- how do I add a hyperlink with a description or raw HTML … or is this possible?
- dragging around and repositioning the modules (as Paul mentioned above too) is interesting
- I like the precreated categories

That’s all I have for about ten minutes of playing with it. I have no idea what my blog will be about or how often I’ll update it. I’m going to think on that one for a little while, but for now the title is fitting: spaced out.

Update: Robert Scoble, technical evangelist for Microsoft, leaves me off his list of those blogging about MSN Spaces, but he comments here (thank you) to let us know that Channel 9 video tour of MSN Spaces here (14:15) is available as well and another video here (30:55). Before anybody complains, this is not a high quality professionally done video (nor is it intended that way, I think), it’s basically Scoble holding a video camera pointed at a monitor (a little too dark to really get the gist of what’s going on) as Michael Connelly, the MSN Spaces group manager demos the program. See also: comments on why Scoble says he won’t be using MSN Spaces. I don’t get it, Robert, you have a linkblog, so why not add a third blog to support the MSN Spaces team? Perhaps a blog about what it’s like working at Microsoft? I realize there’s crossover in that you do some of that already, but an MSN Spaces blog (that the rest of us bloggers could actually trackback to) seems to make good sense for a guy in your position.

Update #2: Jeremy Wright from ensight.org has also created a demo MSN spaces video here (88MB 30+ minutes), complete with some humorous and informative commentary.

• Answering “What is trackback?”
• Trackbacks now inline, mixed with comments
• Zawodny joins chorus of predictable blogger boos over MSN Spaces beta
• Will second batch of blogging books be better than first?
• No Google juice for nofollow attribute, will this negatively impact legitimate comment activity?
• 10 MB MSN Spaces limit only for photos