On July 22, 1999 Microsoft launched what would become the world's most popular instant messenging service, currently with over 330 million active users every month. Previously named MSN Messenger, it was released to work on the Windows operating system platform for users to instantly chat over the Internet using Microsoft's .NET Messenger Service. Microsoft later re-branded MSN Messenger into Windows Live Messenger to merge it with its other Live services back in December 13, 2005. Windows Live Messenger (WLM) has gone through significant protocol changes and face lifts over its many versions in the last 10 years, ending up at Windows Live Messenger 2009 (designated to be called 9.0). Even though it was officially rebranded Windows Live Messenger in 2005, it's still referred to as just "MSN" by most people.
Windows Live Messenger has seen communities rise up with customization solutions from web sites like Messenger Plus! Live, Mess.be, msgstuff.com (from Neowin's very own Sean Bradford) and many more. The Messenger team has made significant improvements over Windows Live Messenger in the past years adding in web cam support, customizable backgrounds, emoticons, animated display pictures, file sharing and much more.
As a small celebration, the Windows Live Messenger Team is asking users to submit their personal stories to them using Windows Live Messenger. The deadline to share your story is June 28, where they will pick the best stories and share them on the Messenger Blog in July.
Same here, expect for staff part.
Used until this year, then dumped all IMs and enjoy my life again.
ICQ was THE BEST
the only good thing in ICQ was quick user search within the client, other than that it completely sucks. and unfortunately, it's still default service in Russia used by random 3rd party clients, making all the troubles with functionality, and to make it worse spam still remains.
just recently installed WLM on my test machine, its looking pretty slick, as opposed to the other clients out there, i'm sure even better with various patches applied
use digsby now though, not the best client but def better than the alternatives atm, the alpha versions anyway
Seriously though, I know only one person on my email contacts list that uses this. Too bad, because it's microsoft and it is polished.
How big is your contact list? haha 1 he says!
Been using it since 2001, an invaluable service.
It is getting slower, and bloated over the years.
And, it is locked into MS platform.
Last edited by Calum on 17 Jun 2009 - 07:29
I'm...I'm just a little confused. It's like you said water can only be poured into cups.
"WLM is only gaining so much user because its competition is doing poorly"
Wouldn't that mean Microsoft is doing something right? If Microsoft is doing something right, and the competition isn't, then how does that connect to "Not because it is doing any thing special at all."? It doesn't seem you can have one without the other...
I find it relatively fast, and I don't really see any useless bloat. I guess we all have our likes and dislikes, but considering the absurd '$' you're using, it's more like you dislike WLM because it's from Microsoft.
Unfortunately, a lot of my friends use AIM and it's hard to convince them to use a different IM service. I hardly use AIM at all, because it's such rubbish and very annoying at times. Yahoo! Messenger client is also kinda weak, or at least not as good as Windows Live.
At least compared to the other leading officially support IM clients, Windows Live is top notch the best. I hope the team will continue to add even more users and convince people to use it.
It's been years since Microsoft has transitioned Messenger into the Windows Live brand, and using the term "MSN" seems rather old school, and is pretty irrelevant considering MSN is just a place for published content now.
Instead, people should just try 'WLM', a shorter and more appropriate form, though it doesn't roll off the tongue as easy as MSN.
Not in Sweden, no. Compare "em ess en" to "dubbleveh ell em".
Yes, but whether it's easier to say, or not, is irrelevant, in my opinion.
Why call it "MSN" when it isn't and has just about nothing to do with MSN?
However, next time they understand when I say Live Messenger.
This is for backwards compatibility but Id think it would be easy to say.
And +1 to not calling it MSN. It is not MSN.
And +1 to not calling it MSN. It is not MSN.
If anything, people calling it MSN instead of WLM should send a clear message to MS: their Windows Live brand sucks. No one cares to spell out or even pronounce "Windows Live Messenger". It's awkward and geeky. MSN finally established itself as an easy to say and easy to spell brand and what does Microsoft do? They change it!
Almost no one calls Disney Hollywood Studios by its name. Why? MGM is easier to say, spell, and it's familiar. Brands are tricky and brand loyalty is even trickier to retain -- it would have been wise to leave Messenger under the MSN umbrella. Hell, everything should have stayed under MSN but that's another discussion...
And +1 to not calling it MSN. It is not MSN.
If anything, people calling it MSN instead of WLM should send a clear message to MS: their Windows Live brand sucks. No one cares to spell out or even pronounce "Windows Live Messenger". It's awkward and geeky. MSN finally established itself as an easy to say and easy to spell brand and what does Microsoft do? They change it!
Almost no one calls Disney Hollywood Studios by its name. Why? MGM is easier to say, spell, and it's familiar. Brands are tricky and brand loyalty is even trickier to retain -- it would have been wise to leave Messenger under the MSN umbrella. Hell, everything should have stayed under MSN but that's another discussion...
Cloud-computing FTW!
Give me an M!
I started using this client back in March 2002, shortly after getting my Hotmail address (the same address I use to this very day). Those were the days when people used to lockup other people's clients by spamming emoticons over and over... the client would take forever to parse all the : D and change them to
Pics or didnt happen.
Last edited by gonzo68 on 17 Jun 2009 - 16:07
I have not once heard anyone outside geeky tech forums call it anything except MSN. The sooner the pedantic tech nerds get over it the better. MSN is somewhat of a genericized trademark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandnomer)
So MSN forever!
I always have it open but only talk to a couple of people on it now tbh. Most people just seem to use Facebook... I wonder if they will birng out their own messenger which runs independant of the website.
http://gqgxya.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pU4S...5280092_246.png
also it seems skype is more of a eastern hemisphere thing and msn is a western one
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