On September 30, Microsoft is discontinuing the web syndication service Windows Live Alerts. A notice on Alerts.Live.com today announced this:
Thank-you for your interest in Windows Live Alerts. After much consideration we have decided to discontinue this service as part of the Windows Live offerings. Please sign up with Windows Live Alerts partners directly to receive their newsletters or other content updates from them. Hotmail Calendar Alerts and reminders will continue to be managed by Windows Live Alerts for the time being.
Windows Live Alerts, allowed subscriptions to a number of services and RSS feeds. The shutdown will also impact any notifications you might receive when you use the Microsoft Answers and Community Forums and get a reply on a posting you have made. There is no indication of what might replace that service either. Starting out as MSN Alerts, it made the transition to Windows Live in August of 2006.
via