This blog post contains the following sections:

• QnA Beta site is now closed
• Stay connected with your QnA friends via Windows Live
• QnA modules on Spaces
• MSN message boards
• Goodbye from the QnA team

QnA Beta site is now closed

We ended the QnA beta test and closed the QnA site on May 21, 2009.

First and foremost, we want to thank you for your participation. Since we introduced QnA, we’ve learned a lot about this new way of communicating and creating valuable content. At this time, we are closing the QnA site, but the experience of running QnA and gathering all of the great feedback you’ve shared with us will certainly influence future product direction.

When QnA moved from the Search organization into MSN we announced that we'd be looking for new ways to share questions and answers across MSN and provide new opportunities for you to engage with each other and share your opinions, ideas, and knowledge. That mission has not changed. Questions and answers are still important to MSN and your feedback has been very valuable for our future product strategy. You’ll see more ways of how MSN will empower people to connect and communicate over the coming months.

In the meantime, you can get great information from Bing and connect with others through Windows Live. You can ask questions, get answers, and have discussions on a variety of topics in the message boards throughout MSN (see bottom of this post for links to the MSN message boards). Windows 7 Beta and RC users, you can now ask your questions on Microsoft Answers.

Stay connected with your QnA friends via Windows Live

Before the QnA site closes you may want to connect with your QnA friends through Windows Live. That way, even after the QnA site is gone, you can stay in touch with the community members you’ve come to know and enjoy. Here's a quick tutorial from David-QnA:

Scenario: David-QnA wants to add T to his Windows Live network.

Step 1: Sign in to QnA

Step 2: Navigate to T's QnA profile page and click "View Windows Live profile"

Step 3: A new browser window opens showing T's Windows Live profile. On that page, click the link "Add to your network." (If you weren't signed in to QnA, you may be asked to sign in to Windows Live.)

Step 4: On the "What's your name?" pop-up (which you'll get if you haven't previously done this) verify your First and Last names and either leave the box checked or un-check it next to "Allow everyone to see my last name so people on Windows Live can connect with me."

Step 5: On the next pop-up write a message to T (optional), and either leave the boxes checked or un-check them next to "Show this person on my profile page" and "Add this person to Windows Live Messenger." Click the "Send invitation" button.

Step 6: You will get a confirmation saying that the invitation has been sent. Click the "Close" button.

Scenario: QnA member T wants to see if anybody has invited her to be a part of their Windows Live network.

Step 1: Sign in to QnA

Step 2: Click on "Your QnA" to get to your QnA profile page and click on the link "View your Windows Live profile."

Step 3: Click the link "View invitations."

Step 4: You will see any pending invitations. Either keep the boxes checked or un-check them next to "Appear in each other's profiles" and "Add me as a Messenger contact so we can chat online," and click the "Accept" button.

Step 5: You will get a confirmation that the person has been added to your network. You will also have the option to add this person to different categories (example: Friends).

And that's how you can stay connected with your QnA friends through Windows Live! For more details on using your Windows Live profile, please see Windows Live Help for your profile.

QnA modules on Spaces

If you have QnA modules on your Space, they will become invisible for visitors as soon as the QnA site is closed. You as the author of your Space will continue to see the modules, and they will indicate that the service is not available. You can remove the modules from your Space using the following steps:

Step 1: Visit Windows Live Spaces, sign in with your Windows Live ID, and then click View your space.

Step 2: Click Customize, and then click Rearrange or hide modules.

Step 3: In the top right corner of the module you want to hide, click the arrow pointing down, then click Hide.

Step 4: Click Save.

MSN message boards

The following are the message boards on MSN. If you've contributed to the QnA message boards, you can use that same account to participate in any of these boards.

• Airfares & Travel - Share your favorite vacation spots, let fellow travelers know the inside scoop on destinations and attractions or get advice about an upcoming trip or activity that you're planning.
  
  
• Autos - If you’re interested in buying, selling, or maintaining a car, this is the place to talk shop. It’s also the place to discuss your car, share info on fuel-efficiency and green cars, or tales of your latest drives.
  
  
• City Guides - Dining, nightlife, events and more in your city are featured on MSN City Guides. You're the real local expert, so chime in with your own thoughts and recommendations.
  
  
• Games - Connect and share with, learn from, and get to know others who play on MSN Games.
  
  
• Health & Fitness - The MSN Health & Fitness forum is a place to share health and fitness information, questions and advice. Find communities to discuss specific health conditions for men, women and children.
  
  
• Lifestyle - Whether you’re looking for no-makeup advice, exploring ways to get ahead at work, or just trying to decide what to have for dinner, you’ll find it all on MSN Lifestyle message boards. Join the conversation!
  
  
• Money - This is the place to ask questions and talk about all matters related to finance.
  
  
• Movies - Discuss your favorite (or not-so-favorite) movies and celebrities here!
  
  
• Music - Discuss your favorite artists, albums, and songs here.
  
  
• Real Estate - Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, the MSN Real Estate community is the place to share tips on everything from finding that next home or apartment to selling your current house or making the necessary improvements – inside or out – to make it last.
  
  
• Tech & Gadgets - This is the place for discussions about technology, computing, and innovations that affect your daily life.
  
  
• TV - Whether you love, hate, or love to hate the shows and people on television, discuss it here.

Goodbye from the QnA team

QnA has been a wonderful opportunity for us to learn from you, and closing the site is a sad occasion for those of us who worked hard to create this site and build this community. Again, we thank all of our wonderful contributors for your participation. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of the community that we all created together. See you on MSN!

-QnA Team