Windows XP SP2 and 7 Other Things Microsoft Killed This Year

While some in the industry would very much like to see Microsoft speed the demise of even more of its wares before they do any more harm (namely Internet Explorer 6), here's a rundown of what Microsoft has snuffed out so far in 2010.

Microsoft pulled the plug on these not entirely smart phones aimed at kids too cool to want to buy them just two months after they hit the market. Despite a critically-acclaimed design and a focus on social networking features, the Kins were a bust, most likely in part due to inevitable OEM partner conflict. (The good news: If you really like the Kin, you can get them super cheap from Verizon now)

The word from Microsoft of the Kin's fate in June

The word from Microsoft of the Kin's fate in June: "Microsoft has made the decision to focus on the Windows Phone 7 launch and will not ship KIN in Europe this fall as planned. Additionally, we are integrating our KIN team with the Windows Phone 7 team, incorporating valuable ideas and technologies from KIN into future Windows Phone releases. We will continue to work with Verizon in the U.S. to sell current KIN phones."

But as Frank Shaw, corporate vice president of communications at Microsoft, put it: "At any given time, across any of our business groups, there are new ideas being investigated, tested, and incubated. It's in Microsoft's DNA to continually develop and incubate new technologies to foster productivity and creativity. The 'Courier' project is an example of this type of effort and its technologies will be evaluated for use in future Microsoft offerings."

Way that wouldn't be compatible with the older systems

Microsoft says it is extending its Xbox Live services in a way that wouldn't be compatible with the older systems.Don't worry about Microsoft's Xbox Live business, though. Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the business is worth a cool $1 billion to Microsoft.

Microsoft attracted more than 1,000 merchant partners who offered cash back to shoppers, said Yusuf Mehdi, senior vice president for Microsoft's Online Audience Business Group, in a blog post. "But after a couple of years of trying, we did not see the broad adoption that we had hoped for," he wrote.

Microsoft said it will stop selling its Response Point phone system on Aug. 31, clearing the way for its Office Communications Server to lead the company's VoIP charge.The move came as little surprise, because Microsoft moved Response Point to "engineering maintenance status" last year and laid off some employees in the Response Point product group.

Blog post that it

Microsoft in March announced in a blog post that it would nix further development of EBS after June 30, though it will continue to support the product. One Network World blogger wrote at the time of the announcement that the product for midsize businesses was being nixed in part to pave way for the company's new cloud strategy.