Is this the year Windows Media Center is going to happen?  Interesting article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal about how Microsoft ("the technology industry's perennial late-to-the-game player") is now taking a leadership position  in home entertainment software with its Windows Media Center.  Apparently the decision to relax a requirement for a TV tuner has gotten PC makers really interested in supporting the product -- and hence sell more of their own products, too ("you scratch my back, I'll scratch your back).

Of course, Media Center's incorporation into the next generation of Windows, called Vista, is expected to add even more momentum.

Adding to all of this fun, PC World Magazine just reported today that Microsoft's still-in-beta Windows Live Messenger will link to the Media Center OS to give users more access to content of their Media Center PCs.  This would include the ability to remotely record TV shows, find programming information and share news about all of this with their Messenger buddies.

Anybody try the Live.com site yet?