by CIO Staff

MS to Launch Web Research Lab

News
Jan 26, 20061 min
Internet

Microsoft Live Labs, announced late yesterday, will be a joint effort between Microsoft Research and MSN to tap into the company’s research and product development divisions, CNET News.com reports.

Gary Flake, a top Microsoft researcher that was hired away from Yahoo last year, will lead Live Labs. 

“Historically, the software industry has been an industry in which it was fine to have months or years in between product cycles,” Flake said.

Traditional modes of research and drawn out product creation cycles simply take too long in today’s fast-paced, webcentric world, Flake said, noting that the Internet allows for experimentation and product development to be on going.

A number of members within the Live Labs group will continue to work in their current positions throughout Microsoft, while others will be assigned to the effort full-time.  Microsoft’s research arm is adding some 30 positions for Live Labs, and MSN is creating more than 70 additional jobs.

-Al Sacco