Live Messenger 8

[Dos_Box]

Looks like Microsoft are being innovative again by trying to play catch-up with Skype et-al.

 

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=be0caf37-f153-4081-86e9-0cbb2fece05f&DisplayLang=en

[indiegirl]

I've been running the beta of this for a few months... it's just a bit more prettyfied..

 

TBH I can never be bothered to use Messenger for anything but text-chat. Skype's just better overall IMO for voice...

[CyberNerd]

does it break aMSN / GAIM / Kopete ???

[Joedetic]

I always hated the Beta version of live messenger because it would crash a lot and only let me log in with the passport that i registered the download with. So i had to download two copies...one for each passport

 

I'm going to try it and might consider keeping it if it works better this time!

[mrforgetful]

Never had any problems with the beta version.

 

You had to register the emails for use with it as it was a beta test, but you never had to download it more than once.

 

I have 2 accounts using it, and the girlfriend has one as well, all using the beta fine no problems.

 

Still prefer the original ICQ though. I can still remember my number: 21226593 and I've not used it since 1999!

[MkII]

Gaim's fine with it

[Joedetic]

I'ma download it when i get home.

[CyberNerd]

Gaim's fine with it

 

cool, MS have previously made failed attempts to block out 3rd party clients.

I had a quick look and TBH it doesn't look exactly groundbreaking. Adverts, single protocol, single o/s. Same old MS rubbish. I'll Stick with what I have

[Ric_]

I've been using the Beta for ages... quite like it with that shiny background

[webman]

Same old rubbish time and again with Messenger.

 

All versions since 6.3 have gotten progressively worse. I have several gripes with the MSN official client, some of which are:

 

* Unnecessary UI elements. There's a huge gap between the text boxes and the outer edge of the window wasting space for no apparent reason.

 

* Skins don't fit into whatever Windows scheme you have and looks out of place.

 

* Non-scalable emoticons. Right PITA. If I have my text size set to "Smallest", then multi-line messages with emoticons in the middle are all over the place and sometimes difficult to follow.

 

* Adverts

 

* Generally, just looks very messy and as if it were desgined by one of our Year 7s.

 

Give me GAIM any day

[tarquel]

I just love the way they are all [i.e. yahoo and AIM too] promoting voice and video chat - when they've had that for years and years hehe

 

*shouts* bring back Yahoo! Chat [rooms] hehe Those were the days - the arguments were great fun. Some unscrupulous people had to go and spoil it and end up causing it to close *burn them burn them* hehe

 

Nath.