Filed under: Internet, Web services, Microsoft, Social Software, web 2.0
Microsoft's I'm Initiative hits Hotmail
The "service" makes using Microsoft's services -- specifically Hotmail and Messenger -- beneficial to several causes. Microsoft shares a portion of its advertising revenue collected through its email and instant messaging apps, and although this is "nice" on Microsoft's part, there's a clear business-minded motivation behind it.
Despite that, at least there's some good coming out of the ridiculous amount of instant messaging and emailing we all do. Though we can't praise Microsoft too much: $1.5 million out of the billions Microsoft makes everyday is hardly significant. Then again, if more companies donated a tiny portion of the tremendous amount of money they make everyday, the world could benefit significantly.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Todd said 11:38AM on 5-06-2008
If it's so "altruistic" why don't they release it open source and let everyone add it to their services, or put up a free-to-use web API to connect to it.
Example: Mercedes Benz and Bosch own the patents for air bags, but don't enforce it, letting everyone add it to their cars royalty free. HINT, HINT Microsoft!
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Quikboy said 4:19AM on 5-07-2008
Um, they do release API's. http://dev.live.com/messenger/
At least for Live Messenger, and the other Live stuff.
Tony2X said 11:46AM on 5-06-2008
Hmm, I think your comment about not praising Microsoft too much is a little harsh. I hadn't noticed any of their competition getting involved in such philanthropy. $1.3m is money these charities didn't have, and now they do.
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Danny Mendez said 7:53PM on 5-06-2008
Google is known for often using their power and money for good causes. Microsoft isn't the first nor the most generous.
Quikboy said 4:33AM on 5-07-2008
@Danny Mendez : True, but why make this a spat between Google and Microsoft. Why not be happy that each of them are helping the world?
And does it matter if there's a "business-minded motivation" behind this? The organizations benefit, Microsoft benefits, as well as the user benefits. It's all good.
It's not as if Google doesn't rake in a ton of money from all that advertising stuff they get as well. Your statement right there is just plain cruel to me. If you'd take the time to listen, you know that MS has always been just as kind-hearted as Google. Should I list them? Product (RED) XPS One, Live Search Club charity, giving Xbox 360 kiosks to hospitals, Ultimate Steal, WWT being a free tool, etc.
Your statements show how Google-obsessed DS is. I usually tolerate it, but these words are more mean than they should be. Besides the fact that there's the usual Googleholic posts every week, Google ads, and where even Google has a small stake in AOL, how much of a Google fan site is DS?
Danny Mendez said 6:33PM on 5-07-2008
I only meant to use Google as an example since the company is known to use its money and power for good causes. I didn't mean to make this a spat between any companies. I didn't mean to say Google was better or more generous (and it likely isn't), but I wanted to point out that Microsoft isn't some extremely generous god that has the world's best interests in mind.
It's a business first, and it's going to consider itself before the rest of the world. That's the way big corporations work. What Microsoft is doing is good, but there are clear reasons why Microsoft is doing this and those reasons aren't centered around the good of the world. That good comes second. Microsoft comes first.
Tony2X said 11:30AM on 5-08-2008
I don't think I ever suggested that Microsoft is not a business first, it's not Microsoft.org after all. I was merely pointing out the fact that it is a little high minded to criticise a company for giving something to charity. $1.3m is hardly pocket change, even if it is a tiny proportion of the money that they earn.
I don't doubt that Google does good with their monies too, but I suspect that if you laid out the dollars each company (not including the Gates Foundation of course) has given to good causes that the Redmond firm would be victorious.
keeves said 4:25PM on 5-06-2008
The donation that this makes are small compared to the personal donation that Bill Gates makes to charities.
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Quikboy said 4:23AM on 5-07-2008
This is great. Even if it's only contributes a rather small portion of what MS has, $1.5 million is at least something compared to nothing.
And it was stated before that each organization already receives $100,000 from Microsoft itself. The $1.5 million is just extra going to each charity that gets support by users. That's quite a lot more than if MS didn't even bother.
And again, there's also the Product (RED) XPS One, and the Live Search Club charity, that Microsoft is also working on.
People should get in their minds that MS is not some greedy corporation. They at least do some nice things for people.
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Rex said 4:59AM on 5-07-2008
my dad always said,"just give, don't question."
Although he was refering to whether the recipient was 'worthy' or not (ie. don't bother about whether he deserves it, just give, its your gesture that should amtter to you), i think his quote may apply to this situation also...
We were gonna send email anyway, MS was gonna get money any way, what if they donate only a fraction of it, we should appreciate it nevertheless
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