Microsoft Corp, which makes a habit of constantly re-launching its online services as if they are new, has given its Sidewalk local guides a makeover. It has integrated them with its much- maligned MSN set of services, and in so doing has revamped the content from local culture and business to a straightforward shopping tool and local business guide. This generalization has enabled Redmond to spread the service across most US cities, rather than producing more detailed guides in just nine cities in the US and Sydney, Australia, although the latter still exists and has been joined by Melbourne. The four main areas that confront users now are a buyer’s guide, yellow pages, entertainment guide and favorites. At the start of the year Microsoft axed about a quarter of the Sidewalk staff but intended to eventually expand the service to 50 US cities by the year end (01/22/98). It has done that and more in terms of the number of cities, but at the expense of content, which seems to have suffered.
