Migrating from Windows Live Spaces to SquareSpace - outline

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This is going to be a series of blogs, and hopefully release source code for getting your blog out of Windows Live Spaces.  I want to split this into two major sections, and then have a few trailing articles discussing the differences and things as I encounter them.

 

First Half: Export your blog data out of Windows Live Spaces

  • No export option
  • MetaBlogAPI – documented on MSDN
  • Export to some sort of format: XML?  MoveableType?
  • Cleaning the data
  • Exporting comments?

Second Half: Import your blog data into SquareSpace

  • Using a format that SquareSpace understands
  • Unhappiness with documentation – regarding DYI imports
  • Imported Blogs go under a new journal
  • Migrating content between journals

Extended Time:

  • Release code
  • Gotchas
  • Data cleaning
  • Pictures

The new flood of stuff coming out of Windows Live are really nice

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I do have FriendFeed, but I think too little people know about FriendFeed (http://friendfeed.com/johnnliu) - but it's a very techy solution.  I think Windows Live's offerings will reach more people quicker.

Anyway,

It's already hooked to to my blog, MSN messenger

I've got 2 web activities enabled:

Flickr
Twitter

still waiting for a few more web activities to become enabled:

digg
youtube
facebook

Theoretically I can just use the RSS feed from these, but I want to see what additional features I get for 'integration'.

Also, when people comment on my windows live feed, I'd like to see it in MSN messenger.

Anyway, waiting :)

Windows Live configuration sync

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I had this idea that popped up when I was listening to the current .NET Rocks - The Future of Web Development Panel.  I was listening to the panel lamenting about having to manually configure their development environment per machine that they use and thought, geez surely this can be solved perfectly with Windows Live.

Sure enough, within minutes of this idea popping in my head, one of the guys on the panel stated this, and got overwhelming applause.

That is one great idea.

So, you have Windows Live Mesh right now.  You can sync files, links and photos online.  How hard would it be to synchronize Visual Studio settings, office settings / templates, browser settings, etc etc

Taking the idea further, there is a set of tools you always use for your machine - wouldn't it be nice if you can re-use a license key (if it allows) across all your machines and share them via a Live Mesh account.

Or even when you build a new machine, a Life Mesh application automatically asks you if you want to re-install all your favourite tools that you had on your previous machine - tells you if it has a newer version (say for windows 7), and / or any driver requirements.

When you say "yes please", it will install these for you at a convenient time - AND copy your configuration settings so it'll behave JUST THE WAY you had it set up before!

Throw in some integration with Microsoft Online Store...

I can't stop drooling.  If someone don't build this app soon I will!

It is so great to live in a Software + Service world!  These are great times!