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MSN (or the Microsoft Network) is a collection of Internet services provided by Microsoft. Initially released by Microsoft on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of Windows 95, the range of services has since expanded greatly. The Hotmail webmail service was amongst the first, followed by the instant messenger service MSN Messenger, which has recently been completely replaced by Windows Live Messenger.MSN was largely rebranded in 2006 to Windows Live, which saw the release of Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Messenger, when Microsoft overhauled its online software and services to attract a broader range of customers, in a climate of increasing competition from rivals such as Google. The Windows Live brand is currently being rolled out service-by-service, with rebranded services being classed as a BETA test, initially. It is anticipated that the MSN service will aim at the personal and family user, whilst Windows Live will be a dedicated search facility for various media.
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