Having a great deal of time on my hands during winter break, I decided to fiddle around with Windows Live Spaces; I was pleasantly surprised by its customization capabilities.

Beneath the array of slow loading menus, which were previously hidden to me due to impatience, are innumerable customization options. There are numerous theme categories to choose from such as nature, art, sports, all of which have a dominant color complemented by the Windows Live bar. Numerous predefined layouts based on the intended purpose of the Windows Live Space are also provided, a rather clever touch. The level of customization capability strikes a fine balance between maintaining the Windows Live feel while providing users sufficient theming options. The ease of use combined with the stylish final products is quite impressive.

Aside from all the eye candy, Windows Live Spaces is no different from Facebook in providing modules to customize your page with. Luckily there is a dearth of time wasting junk applications such as Jetman and Social Ladder which are pervasive on Facebook. Development of Windows Live applications is also simpler compared to the development of Facebook applications, which requires delving through endless pages of obscure FBML and API resources. Windows Live Spaces’s level of control and integration with the other Windows Live services is also noteworthy, and simplifies the online experience substantially.