Always on the lookout for ways to continue to build the buzz around Windows, Microsoft launched on Monday a beta release of a new community-outreach initiative, called "The Hive."

Microsoft officials denied the company is trying to build a Windows version of Slashdot. Unlike Slashdot and other Microsoft community-building projects —
such as Channel 9 and The Spoke, —
all of which target developers, The Hive is aimed at online leaders who specialize in consumer-oriented applications of Windows and other Microsoft technologies, such as digital photography, gaming, multimedia, home-finance and the like.

"The Hive is the only place on the Web created exclusively for online community leaders interested in Microsoft Windows products," according to a blurb on The Hive Web site.

The beta of the Hive currently features online forums. Later iterations will add a file-upload utility, where members will be able to share screen shots, how-to content and tips and tricks, according to Microsoft officials.

Microsoft officials said they want The Hive to be a community that is run by the third parties, not by Microsoft.

"We want to get peers to interact with each other in a safe environment," said Josh Levine, group product manager with Windows client communities. "We (Microsoft) will provide the server space and prizes (for forum participation, etc.). We'll also provide some content. The community members will be the (forum) moderators."

The Hive is not one of Microsoft's Microsoft.com communities outreach projects, Levine emphasized. Nor is it a marketing initiative, Levine said. The Hive program is not related in any way to Microsoft's recently launched "Start Something" marketing campaign, Levine said.

"If you're going to buy a new Acura, you go to Consumer Reports, not the car vendors' Web sites," Levine said, in explaining Microsoft's goal of keeping the site independent.

While Microsoft is expecting the membership of The Hive to overlap to some extent with the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) and Featured Community Site programs, it is hoping to attract a broader community.

"There are hundreds of thousands of techie groups on the Web. But right now, there really is no group out there focusing on the end-user consumer," Levine explained. "We're looking for the online leaders in Google, Yahoo and MSN. We want to support what the community out there has asked for."

In order to join The Hive, a Microsoft-oriented community site or Web log must be able to demonstrate that it has at least 50 members in its community.

ActiveWin.com, one of the sponsors of The Hive, published an interview with Levine that provides more specifics about the site.

(This is an updated version of an article which appeared in the June 2, 2005, issue of the Microsoft Watch newsletter. Want to see what other Microsoft news nuggets you might have missed? Sign up today for a free two-week trial subscription to Microsoft Watch.)