Hi all,
I ran across this in the NY Times recently, and thought some of us poor musicians might be interested in taking advantage:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/02/techn ... pogue.html
Basically, Microsoft will provide you with your own website, with a name of your choice that includes ONLY what you want in the name (e.g., www. YourBandNameHere .com), along with 25 email addresses (bookings@..., info@..., etc.), links to PayPal, ebay, an online calendar, an accounting program, and more.
Also, says the Times: "To its credit, Microsoft places nothing on your free Web site except a very small “Powered by Office Live” logo beneath your home page. No ads or logos appear on any other pages you create."
They do offer upgraded versions for a fee, but for a lot of small bands, this could be really useful. It should be available around the 15th; I'll be interested to hear if anyone ends up using it, and how it goes.
Best,
Jack.