Micro$oft to put online store on Start menu

[Renew Deal]

Windows Marketplace site will be advertised in XP Start Menu and IE

By Joris Evers, IDG News Service July 12, 2004

TORONTO -- Microsoft Corp. is working on a new shopping Web site for software, hardware, and peripherals that it plans to advertise in the Windows XP Start Menu and the Internet Explorer Web browser.

Called "Windows Marketplace," the Web site is slated to go live for U.S. Windows users by year's end, according to Microsoft, which plans to officially announce the online store on Monday at its Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto.

The Windows Marketplace will be a way for Microsoft partners to peddle their wares to the millions of Windows users, the Redmond, Washington-based software vendor said in a statement.

Providers that are expected to sell their products through the store include Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., Circuit City Stores Inc., Buy.com Inc. and Best Buy Company Inc., according to Microsoft. Products that have gained a "Designed for Windows" logo will be easier to find on the Web store through a special search filter, the software maker said.

Aside from advertising the online store in Windows, Microsoft plans to link to the site from its online properties. The link in Internet Explorer will be made through Windows XP Service Pack 2, which is expected out in the coming weeks. Also, the Start Menu link that currently points to the Windows Catalog will likely redirect to the Windows Marketplace in the future, a Microsoft spokesman said.
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http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/07/12/HNmsonlinestore_1.html

[madinmaryland]

1. If I want advertisement,

I'll just go on the internet, using internet explorer. Please NOT on my computer, when I'm not even logged on.:grr: