Microsoft has done the unthinkable and taken the "beta" qualifier off its Windows Live online products, reports The Seattle Times.

By taking the beta label off of the suite of online software, Microsoft has said the products are more or less mature and ready for full usage.

Those products include email clients, Messenger and online productivity software for word processing and more.

The company hopes people will select Live brand products from Google or a number of smaller firms.

Microsoft will support its break-out of beta with a good-sized online campaign. It hopes to attract new users and encourage those using solutions like Hotmail to check out more of the products available.