In a world dominated by Facebook and MySpace, one of the best kept secrets in social networking is Multiply.com. This fast growing little social network is about to make a whole lot of new friends.
Microsoft announced today that it will soon close down its 13 year old forum site MSN Groups and it's encouraging its users to export their conversations over to its new official partner, Multiply. It's a big win for one of the most solid social networks online.
Florida-based Multiply.com announced last week that it has 10 million registered users and sees 18 million monthly unique visitors - both numbers that have grown 100% year over year. Compare that to Facebook, which we reported in July had grown 41% year over year.
Multiply has a rabidly loyal following, something that might change with an infusion of MSN Groups members, and its feature set is impressive. It's best known for its very granular privacy controls on published content.
Additionally, when Multiply rolled up a number of their super-frequent feature updates into one relaunch last year, we said it compared favorably with Facebook in the following ways:
How many people are now being told to shift from MSN Groups to Multiply? We started asking around but quickly realized that we'd do better to try to squeeze beer out of a rock than user numbers out of Microsoft. According to coverage at Liveside, a new Live.com Groups will launch in mid November. We hear that Live Groups is actually pretty hot looking, so why people are being sent to Multiply we don't really now.
Will users of the old-fashioned MSN Groups make the transition well and enjoy Multiply? We're not sure, but we wouldn't be surprised. We like
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Oh... i know. just like i posted in Techcrunch:
The reason is very simple but not obvious unless you are familiar with MSN groups. i am. they come with a lots and lots of baggage. there is a lot of sensitive material Microsoft is taking the opportunity to get rid of from (porn, illegal stuff, extremist stuff and lots of etc`s) and because the model of Live Groups is very different. you don`t want that kind of material ported right away and you don`t want spam groups to also be ported to Live Groups. The ultimate reason is because live groups will be connected to messenger and to spaces and will share data around. something easy to confirm in Liveside.net or if you ask the right people in Windows Live if you are hesitant to believe it.
Good Call from MS on this. i am actually surprised they had not done it sooner. but they needed a good excuse and someone bulletproof to bite that bullet. i would have cut off MSN groups at least a year or so ago. but i guess they didn`t wanted to deal with that controversy either.
Multiply is a great choice too. they have a MSN feel (starting with the logo) and their core audience is in Asia. they are like friendster in that regard. big in asia. close to unknown in North America (can/usa/mex). porting the stuff over there does not represent a problem to them
Posted by: Avatar | October 15, 2008 6:18 PM
What a wonderful surprise!
Though Multiply is easy to use, the variety of features and vast ability to customize your experience can sometimes be overwhelming. To any MSN group members that want a little help walking through Multiply for the first time, I'd recommend this short tutorial series -- http://mtutorials.multiply.com (currently in English and Portuguese) There's also a great user support group where users help users: http://usersupport.multiply.com
Posted by: barefootmeg
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October 15, 2008 9:30 PM
I have my own group and I"m a member of many huge groups on MsN, but once I migrated to Multiply a long time ago, it was hard going back to MsN Groups except to stay caught up with people there. Multiply was such a step up even then when I migrated over, and it's even better now!!
Multiply will welcome Msn'ers, just as they welcomed the Y360 Refugees. And everyone in all of the help groups will help with the transition. Multiply has the best support groups, user relationship with the Developers and Staff, and customer service is by far the best on the web.
http://multiplydesign.multiply.com
http://customizedthemes.multiply.com
http://multiplynewbies.multiply.com
http://usersupport.multiply.com
Posted by: Linda | October 15, 2008 9:53 PM
It is alright for those that dont like msn groups but there are millions of people who do and enjoy the groups and what about all the hard we have put into opening them and maintaining them . so far everyone i know are not happy about this and will be closing their accounts with windows this is more like a forum than a group.
where exactly do the groups fit in here will we have the same privacy we dont want just anyone coming into our groups .
will we have the same right to refuse members seems all our hard work and pleasure has been taking away from us without a thought of how we feel lets be honest there is a lot of people who enjoy the msn groups so why not leave it as it is
Posted by: jane innes | October 16, 2008 12:33 AM
I was on MSN groups for a while, but their features were significantly different than both Yahoo and Google Groups. They were simply message boards whereas Yahoo and Google provided more group features. I would assume that the new Microsoft Live Groups will be more like Yahoo/Google groups, especially since it'll be sharing connections with other Live Services to spread users across the Live ecosystem.
Over on other related stories, some MSN groups aren't sure if they want to go over to Multiply. In any case, I would suggest taking a look at my company's online group tool, Convos (http://www.convos.com) to see if its a better fit.
Posted by: JP
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October 16, 2008 6:00 AM
Blog type social networking doesn't have the same spontaneity and sense of community that groups have and will be the main feature that die hard "groupies" will miss the most. Sites featuring one person where others can join up and comment just won't cut it and neither will sites that require a more advanced knowledge of coding/scripting. That's going to leave a lot of people out in the cold.
Posted by: Marian | October 18, 2008 10:08 AM
I've been using MSN groups for at least 4 years. And looking at multiply and what none-"groupies" are saying. I'm nearly insulted. We're NOT a forum community. We run fan sites, designing sites, roleplay sites. We LOVE our options to create pages to put info on in a single group. Also, the option to use the very easy view editor. I mean, look at my site that I have posted. Now tell me, can you do layouts like that in multiply? No, I don't think so. We are just so upset about this! The new "Live Groups" do look like they are just like other groups, like yahoo. It's so upsetting!!
Posted by: Julie | October 21, 2008 5:32 PM
http://groups.msn.com/PsychicPaper
Posted by: Julie | October 21, 2008 5:34 PM
I HATE THIS ARRANGEMENT. MSN Groups is a part of my life, and now you're taking it away from me.
Join this site to protest with us!
http://groups.msn.com/noimmigration
Posted by: Linda | October 24, 2008 8:24 AM
I have to say, Multiply.com is a poor substitute for MSN Groups. It offers nowhere near the flexibility that we currently have with our community the way it is, and does not appear to be very user friendly for those who are not very tech-savvy.
We have to look after our members and moving to Multiply would prove to be too much hassle for some of them.
The closest I have found to a site similar to MSN Groups is http://www.ning.com/ although even that is lacking in one crucial area for us, so we may be forced to resort to using message board software instead.
Posted by: beeurd | October 24, 2008 8:19 PM
Multiply is horrible. Group migrations are disastrous. The support group just tells you to contact customer service. Then you are supposed to give CS your MSN email address AND PASSWORD for them to help you! I think NOT! The interface is nothing like MSN Groups. Things we could do easilly in MSN Groups either can not be done at all at Multiply, or you need to know or learn html or CSS (whatever that is.)
MSN groups is much more than message boards. We have many custom pages, links pages, photo albums, lists and more. We've created friendships, and have games, exchanges, contests, and we share our lives.
Multiply is aggravating, difficult unless you are a computer geek, and ugly. I was abused there when I discovered the biggest troll ever to terrorize MSN groups ingratiated herself with the multiply staff using a different ID, and is serving as "support." You should see the horrid libelous, slanderous threatening message she posted to me on the Support Group. If that's who they allow to give "support" it is the WORST groups service imaginable.
Posted by: Crafty Matthew | October 25, 2008 3:02 AM
My MSN Group has been up for 10 years and I am horrified that MSN is discontinuing this service! Multiply is nowhere near as user-friendly as MSN Groups.
The Multiply interface is disorganized and overall it is aesthetically ugly. I cannot see MSN Groups users singing on to Multiply. They draw an entirely different user.
What a shame.
Posted by: Lucille | October 26, 2008 2:52 PM
You people need to move with the times & also read that Multiply.Com will be moving/transferring all your message boards, links, photo's, posts, replies, threads, forums, & loads more before 21-02-2009.
My New Website/Group Is Now: http://midcarpalinstability.multiply.com
My Old Website/Group Was: http://groups.msn.com/PalmarMidcarpalInstabilityPMCIRSD
Posted by: Mr. Scott Aron John Reynolds | October 27, 2008 3:06 PM
I am concerned about this too. I am not so computer savvy to even understand some of the terms used, but my little group for shared story writing has been running just fine as a msn group since 2004. I understand the wording used and we also make use of the pages allowance so each member can list all stories with a bit of info about it for another member to order from them. A sort of lending library set up. For this to work ok we each need our own listing page. If Multiply is not going to supply that, then it will not really work for us. I had a look at yahoo groups and that does not supply this either. Any info of what stories are now available put into normal messages will soon get swallowed up. I am also concerned for security. We have kept our group private to stop smut coming in and to allow us to vet any potential new member. When asked if we should attempt opening the group again to anyone to see, there was a resounding NO, we like being a little family group, so we have stayed cosy. I am not into all this my space and facebook small chat and therefor do not need this sort of set up. I did join face book and also set up a blog somewhere else, but have not been bothered to go back to them as it is not what i like. I'm not in fear of change as long as it is for the good and what my group members want. But I am not getting this feeling that it will be right for us. So the search is on for another home meanwhile.
Posted by: fribslady | October 29, 2008 4:49 PM
Contrary to what was stated above, your MSN groups Will NOT automatically migrate to Multipoop. You have to click on the link provided on MSN Groups to migrate your group, and be prepared for disaster. Also, Multipoop is Big Brother! They monitor everyone's personal pages and groups, deleting what they don't like, and banning group administrators from the site, leaving their groups in limbo. You may read the horror stories on numerous MSN Groups, and on the support group over at Multipoop. So far it appears that almost 75% of MSN Groups managers are choosing other services besides Multipoop for hosting their groups. Almost 15% are undecided, and 10-12% are choosing Multipoop. Many who have tried Multipoop are going to other services now,like Yuku, Aimoo, World Groups, Google and others.
Posted by: Crafty Matthew | November 5, 2008 8:47 PM
I have used MSN since 1996 and feel very disappointed by them to be honest...We used to have very good Chat Rooms and they closed them down and then I built up the Community Group. I have run Meet New Friends since 1999 and we have met some great friends espically when me and my wife got married in 2002. We have had great times when we have met up in a group to go Ten Pin Bowling or Greyhound Racing, one year it was a simple firework weekend.
Well we have to kove with the times and i've taken my group to Proboards, as you can build sections like a section for Games/General boards etc very much like MSN
My new group is now at
http://meetnewfriends1.proboards.com/
Posted by: Onespecialguy | November 6, 2008 11:14 AM
My MSN Group http://groups.msn.com/PalmarMidcarpalInstabilityPMCIRSD hasn't transferred correctly,
But Multiply.Com say they are looking at the problem & hope to have it sorted.
MSN Groups promised no errors in The MSN Group Migration & Transfer, But sadly so far this hasn't been the case :(
http://midcarpalinstability.multiply.com
MSN Group Migration
http://multiply.com/msngroupimport
Welcome to Multiply's import tool for MSN Groups. We appreciate you taking the time to try out our service. Please start by signing into MSN. Note that you must be a manager of your group on MSN in order to import it to Multiply.
Posted by: Mr. Scott Aron John Reynolds | November 10, 2008 1:39 AM
I have owned a group 5 years on msn group. It's suck to make it close down, I judt don't know what to do cos Multipoop is worse than msn group. Fortunately I found Aimoo, they say they could move my group to my new home there. I tried and guess what, it's perfect. All my pages from my group is archived intactly, message boards, pictures and backgrounds. Plus, it's easier to manage. I think I find the right place to move, anyone could try it out, it's worthy to go. You may first look http://www.aimoo.com/movemsngroups.html, think that may tell more.
Posted by: Timber | November 10, 2008 8:27 AM