1) Syntax: link:www.your-domain.com or link:http://www.your-domain.com
DO NOT use space after link:
link:www.cnn.com will show the backlinks of that page which Google knows and decides to show with that command
link: www.cnn.com will show results that contain the text "link" and the text "www.cnn.com"

2) Google doesn't return all backlinks in response to link: command.

3) Google link: command is not updated in "real time" but it is updated approximately once per month

4) Since June 2004 Google returns backlinks which have any PageRank value (and not only backlinks which have a pagerank of 3 or 4 or more as Google used to do)

5) To get more accurate and up-to-date Google backlinks you may use the following command
:www.cnn.com Remark: not all results return by this command are links to www.cnn.com page, it can be just a plain text URL (www.cnn.com) without links mentioned on the page somewhere
:www.cnn.com -site:www.cnn.com This command will show you all the pages linking to cnn.com, minus the pages from cnn.com site.

6) Related Google links tools
Google backlinks and anchor text analyzer
Google ranking software (based on Google API)

7) Articles related to Google link: command
Google say not reporting all backlinks
Google backlink strategies

Hope this may help you!

MSN launched MSN Spaces, its new blogging service.

The MSN Spaces beta version is a free service available in 14 languages and 26 markets worldwide. MSN Spaces was designed to make it easy for consumers to create and maintain a personal Web site, bringing the power and benefits of blogging to millions of Internet users, regardless of their level of technical expertise. More than a blogging tool, MSN Spaces is a dynamic online scrapbook where consumers can share photo albums, personal music lists and more. And more than an ordinary personal Web site, through seamless integration with MSN Messenger and MSN Hotmail, MSN Spaces will automatically notify online contacts when a person's Space has been updated so his or her online community knows when it is time to pay a visit. People can sign up for MSN Spaces through MSN Messenger or by going to http://spaces.msn.com. Key features of the service include the following:

• Control your Space. Consumers can choose the people who visit their Space through three levels of permissions: public, MSN Messenger contacts only or private.
• Use pictures and music to say more. MSN Spaces enable consumers to easily display their pictures via a photo album slide show. Consumers can easily share playlists through their Space with Microsoft® Windows Media® technologies. With just two clicks, people can sample or purchase a song on someone's playlist through MSN Music.
• Create an extension of yourself. Contact Cards - a new addition to MSN Messenger and Hotmail - are windows into a consumer's Space, mirroring its look and the most recent information posted. MSN Spaces also supports RSS, so consumers can publish their Space to others by way of RSS viewers and aggregators - including My MSN, coming soon.
• Post remote updates. Consumers can post updates to their Space remotely via e-mail or a mobile phone.
• Make it your own. Fifteen custom backgrounds and five layout templates give consumers a way to quickly customize and personalize their Space.

Read Nathan Weinberg's first impressions about MSN Spaces

Philipp Lenssen has redesigned its fabulous blog Google Blogoscoped