"We launched with a closed invitation system to keep us focused on our initial user base of students," a Microsoft spokesperson explained in response to Campaign Asia-Pacific's questions. "At this time, the researchers in the so.cl project are interested to see how a more diverse user population responds to so.cl, so we have decided to open it up."
The company realizes that many non-students use both search and social media for the purpose of learning, and is therefore interested in diversifying the so.cl user community in order to include them in its research, the spokesperson said.
Microsoft has kept the platform's public status quiet because gaining a large user base isn't so.cl's primary goal. So.cl is also not intended to replace or directly compete with any existing social-networking platform. For example, users can use their Facebook accounts to login.
"It is an experimental research project using a minimal set of features which help combine search with the social network for the purpose of learning," Microsoft said. The platform is also an experiment in content curation using search results as a base.
A search entry entered via the platform will turn up results powered by Bing but will also share those search results on the platform. Users can also opt to selectively share content and to host "Video Parties", Microsoft's answer to Google+ Hangouts, presumably around their favourite search topics, if so.cl's introductory video is anything to go by.
At present, Microsoft has no plans to monetise so.cl. "So.cl is a search experience for research purposes," the spokesperson said. "Like all projects from Microsoft Research, some or all of the learning may eventually be used by product teams in the future. We will continue to make investments in Xbox Live, Windows Live, and Skype (just to name a few), and our partnerships with Facebook and Twitter."
