Windows Live Alerts Tryout

After reading about the Windows Live Alerts service over at Mads Kristensen site, I thought it sounded interesting enough to warrant a look and thought about experimenting with it out on my own weblog. Turns out the signup process isn't quite the experience I expected:

• The signup page asks a lot of information, much of which seems unwarranted for this kind of service (why all the need for all the personal information?)
• Even though the page asks a lot of personal information, it isn't a secure page (i.e. no SSL). Certainly not what I'd expected from the now security-minded Microsoft.
• The page kept insisting that the Contact Phone Number was invalid, but gives no clue as to what the proper format is supposed to be.

Even though I noticed all of this, I still went ahead and submitted the form. It claimed I'd see an email to complete the subscription process, though I have yet to see it. It might have been swallowed by the spam filters, though I doubt it. And why the heck is a windows live services' page a JSP page? :P