Microsoft started a new channel on YouTube on Dec. 21 where it plans to market its software and tools. One such video is shown here about the advantages of using Vista and Live platform to share photos on the Web.

You can subscribe to this channel if you are a Microsoft fan here.

The comments are open (surprisingly) for these videos and the result has been somewhat predictable as passersby have let Microsoft know what it really thinks of the company. One user writes, "Microsoft should just shutdown their OS business and focus on office applications which has some value. Until they start to understand the power of openness and change their attitude towards Windows only platform, they'll continue to lose."

Who knows: Maybe now Microsoft can seriously listen what customers want and change their product designs in the future?

Duncan Riley of TechCrunch says the channel was started by Microsoft, but it is not clear from their starting page if it was in fact created by Microsoft or someone else.

YouTube is a good marketing and educational tool for any company, so Microsoft clearly sees the potential benefits. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer may not like the idea of working with the enemy (or at least on the enemy's site), but it has its benefits.