Microsoft launches internal social network

11th June 2008

A new product testing platform is being introduced by Microsoft in the form of a social networking website.

Chris Pratley, general manager of Microsoft's Office Labs, told Computerworld that the initiative, entitled TownSquare, provides news feeds to employees about their colleagues' activities.

Set to be introduced at the Enterprise 2.0 Conference on Thursday, the development functions as a platform on which new technology concepts can be tested and the information shared with client teams.

"They take the knowledge about usage so they don't make so many mistakes in product design," Mr Pratley told the news provider.

Since the site was introduced to about 100 Microsoft employees earlier this year, some 8,000 workers have visited it at least once after hearing about it from colleagues, he added.

According to the news provider, TownSquare's layout recalls that of social networking portal Facebook.

Meanwhile, new figures from Nielsen Online suggest that Facebook could soon be Britain's most popular website, according to the Telegraph.