Redmond (WA) - Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue its Windows Live Expo site probably because no one used or even knew about it. The ecommerce site allows people to post classified ads and was seen as a competitor to the hugely popular Craigslist.com. Website visitors are now greeted with a big warning message that the service will stop on July 31st 2008. Furthermore, no new accounts or listings can be added. Microsoft says all current ads will stay until their expirations dates.

Live Expo was launched in February 2006 and allows people to post up free ads and search by Postal Codes. Microsoft hoped the site’s tight integration with the other Live sites and Microsoft’s MSN Messenger would have given it traction against competitors. However, it was probably this tight integration that caused its downfall - Live Expo’s true power required those extra components, components that few people want to be hassled with.

But in the end, a much simpler error could have sealed the website’s fate ... the site address is expo.live.com. No wonder people didn’t know it existed.