Windows Live Messenger Review

December 22nd, 2005

Awesome! Thanks to InsideMicrosoft, I got my invite for Windows Live Messenger. I don’t think I’ve been so invited since Gmail ;)

The installation was quick and simple. It didn’t ask me to install MSN Toolbar, set MSN as homepage or anything. I did have to close Windows Media Player, presumbly so it could install the music plugin.

Windows Live Messeger 

The new look is OK but I really can’t say I like the orange. The new interface (to me) also seems to be more cluttered (perhaps I’ve gotten too used to using Messenger Plus to hide a lot of clutter in MSN 7). One of the biggest changes I noticed is that it no longer shows display pictures on the contact list and the status icons are simplified to online/away/offline. When you move your mouse over a contact name, it’ll expand and show you their display picture, status, personal message in full and give you several icons for starting a new convo, sending an e-mail. Nice, but I found it kinda annoying to use.

The MSN Spaces logo looks like Ubuntu to me. 

The buddy search in the conversation window is great and being able to rename your contacts is fantastic.

Edit Contact

I currently use a similar feature in Messenger Plus - from personal experience the Messenger Plus! version is simpler and easier to use and allows you to append the contact’s nickname after your nickname. I suppose Microsoft really really don’t want us typing in random messages in our nickname anymore :)

You can now talk offline (if you feel really antisocial) and choose to show timestamps in the message window. This is a nice feature which I’ve been getting from Messenger Plus for a long time.

Although Messenger 8 is certainly nice there aren’t any killer features and I certainly don’t think it’s any easier to use than version 7. Perhaps its the way I use Messenger but my initial reaction is that this is a step down from the comparative simplicity of version 6. It’ll be interesting to see how I feel about Messenger 8 after using it for a few days.

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62 Responses to “Windows Live Messenger Review”

  1. # Khloon 22 Dec 2005 at 8:11 pm

    Hmm, seems to me like the file transfer has disappeared and you have to use file sharing. How do you send a file to someone using MSN 7?

  2. # Sanjayon 02 Jan 2006 at 5:04 pm

    Hi,

     I’ve been searching for a Live Messenger invitation for quite some time. Would be really great if you could send me an invitation to k_sanjay@hotmail.com .

     Thanks in advance!!

    Have FUN!!

  3. # Khloon 02 Jan 2006 at 5:25 pm

    Unfortunately I do not have any invites at the present moment so I’m unable to send an invite. If I recieve any, I will let people know through a blog entry.

  4. # Khloon 06 Jan 2006 at 9:00 pm

    Sent to you Sanjay

    I have 6 more invites; simply leave a note and I’ll send you an invite (providing I still have some) 

  5. # Robc0404on 07 Jan 2006 at 3:58 pm

    khlo
    i would love it if you would send me an ivite ive been searching around for along time and i would really appreciate it if you would send me an invite at robbiecurtis@hotmail.com
    thanks in advance Rob

  6. # Mike1901on 07 Jan 2006 at 9:30 pm

    Hi

     Would like to show interest in an invite if one is still going Khlo :D

    Email is mwooldridge@gmail.com

    Cheers!

    (edit to correct name - Sorry!)

  7. # Khloon 07 Jan 2006 at 10:03 pm

    Dispatched invites to both of you

    There are no more invites left at the present; I’ll make another entry when there are some available. 

  8. # Robc0404on 08 Jan 2006 at 1:13 pm

    Thanks so much dude

     

  9. # Dkcooon 08 Jan 2006 at 7:37 pm

    Hi, If you have any invites left can i have one please i will be really grateful!

    my email is: dervis-kemal@hotmail.co.uk

    cheers!

  10. # Iowa Sevenon 09 Jan 2006 at 5:08 pm

    Haya, can please you send me an invite inext time some spare are going?
    Im iowaseven@hotmail.com

    Thanks man!

  11. # Nick Won 09 Jan 2006 at 10:00 pm

    Wondering if you could send me a Windows Live! messager invite. I’d love to try it out. I also want to take a look at the protocol behind it all to see if it changed. Thanks, Nick

  12. # Xansteron 10 Jan 2006 at 7:03 pm

    heye man!

    Do u have any invite left? i would like to enjoy the nice cool interface that msn live can offer. mine mail: xanster@msn.com

    appreciate man!

    Cheers~!

  13. # Kamenon 11 Jan 2006 at 1:06 am

    Hi, my name is Alessandro and i’m from Italy. I haven’t heard about any Italian beta tester.. may i help and get an invite? Thank you also if the answer will be "negative" :)

     My MSN contact is kamen@hotmail.it

  14. # Dangerouson 11 Jan 2006 at 11:46 pm

    please any one send me an invite of msn live messenger please dale.metallica@hotmail.com thanx

  15. # Khloon 12 Jan 2006 at 11:11 pm

    Everyone above should have recieved invites now. Nick W: Any chance you could let me know your MSN Messenger address?

    I have another 3 invites left; first 3 to comment get them.

  16. # Phppgon 13 Jan 2006 at 12:54 am

    i would like a Invite please.. x

    felinephi@hotmail.com

     

    Cheers xx

  17. # Bradmac3168on 13 Jan 2006 at 1:39 am

    Hi there, Id like an invite too please. :-)
    thanks so much!

    bradley_macd@hotmail.com

     

  18. # Sileeon 13 Jan 2006 at 5:25 am

    Would love an invite if any are still going

     Cheers

     cssghost@gmail.com

  19. # Khloon 13 Jan 2006 at 4:11 pm

    Sent out invites to all of you . Nick W: I used the e-mail address you supplied when you created an account.

    Out of invites for the moment; feel free to request an invite but I can’t promise that you’ll recieve one. 

     

  20. # Sileeon 13 Jan 2006 at 6:37 pm

    Thx for the invite much appreciated

  21. # Ck Rishon 13 Jan 2006 at 7:15 pm

    Can you please send me an invite at thisisvenky@hotmail.com ?

     Thanks in advance.

  22. # Rambleon 13 Jan 2006 at 7:52 pm

    I can help out with invites as I have done before, just send a request to my email address.

  23. # Khloon 14 Jan 2006 at 10:28 am

    Ah, Microsoft just love me. I’ve sent an invite to Ck Risk; another four invites available.

  24. # Robc0404on 14 Jan 2006 at 12:47 pm

    [Off Topic]

  25. # Chris-Bon 16 Jan 2006 at 2:38 pm

    can i have an invite please? thanks very much :)

     

    chris

    opel_manta_gte@hotmail.com 

  26. # Mike123on 16 Jan 2006 at 3:04 pm

    Hi

    Could I have an Invite also please

    Email: mikeragit@hotmail.com 

    Thanks in Advance

  27. # Khloon 16 Jan 2006 at 8:03 pm

    Dispatched invites to both of you!

  28. # Pyotron 16 Jan 2006 at 8:53 pm

    hehe… an invite for me if you want.

    ptolmey@gmail.com

    ty :D

  29. # Khloon 16 Jan 2006 at 10:00 pm

    Sent :) 1 invite left.

  30. # Abyssmalon 17 Jan 2006 at 2:53 pm

    HI Khlo,

    I guess I shud step forward and ask for that last invite u have there :D

    Will post back with some user comments in the future :)

     Thanx!

  31. # Kamenon 17 Jan 2006 at 3:55 pm

    If anyone have any invite aviable:

    foggiano83@gmail.com 

    Thank you!

  32. # Khloon 17 Jan 2006 at 6:08 pm

    Abyssmal: Sent an invite to you.

    Kamen: I wouldn’t be surprised if I recieve some more invites in the next day judging how often I’ve been getting invites recently so you’re first in the queue :) 

    Anyone else, feel free to request an invite too and you’ll recieve invites as soon as I get them. 

  33. # Abyssmalon 17 Jan 2006 at 7:37 pm

    Hi Khlo,

    Thanx for the invite, up and running now…I dont seem to have any invites, otherwise i wudda sorted one out for some of u guys.

    will check back if i get some,,initial looks ok

  34. # Pyotron 18 Jan 2006 at 5:27 am

    Thank you muchly Khlo

  35. # Skovon 19 Jan 2006 at 2:51 pm

    I wouldn’t mind an invitation if you could spare one, skovvart@gmail.com :)

  36. # Marciveron 25 Jan 2006 at 2:24 am

    I understand the last reply to this ‘thread’ was 6 days ago, however if you still have an invite left, chuck it this way, please.

    My e-mail : chainsawchicken@hotmail.com

  37. # Zidon 29 Jan 2006 at 3:39 pm

    I would like to have an invite if can. Thanks.

  38. # Khloon 01 Feb 2006 at 4:58 pm

    Sorry for the delay; I only just recieved a new batch of invites. I’ve dispatched out invites to everyone who has asked; two more left.

  39. # Estethon 02 Feb 2006 at 5:02 pm

    hey Khlo, mind throwing me an invite please?

    adam.copp(at)gmail.com 

     thanks loads

    esteth 

  40. # Khloon 02 Feb 2006 at 6:30 pm

    Sure, invite sent. I have one more left

  41. # Estethon 02 Feb 2006 at 6:45 pm

    thanks loads Khlo

     

  42. # Mutznutzon 06 Feb 2006 at 11:21 am

    Any chance of that last invite please.

     

    its MrMutzNutz at googlemail.com if at all poss.

     

    Thanks in advance…..

  43. # Khloon 06 Feb 2006 at 6:38 pm

    Sure, invite sent. I have one left (Dunno where it came from, but it’s there!)

  44. # Mutznutzon 06 Feb 2006 at 8:18 pm

    You da man. Nice 1 & thanks though I am having probs signing in. Getting a "Error 810003cc" msg. The FAQ states

    "If you receive this error, your account is not valid for use with Windows Live Messenger beta. For more information about how to get the beta invitation for Windows Live Messenger, see How can I get a beta invitation for Windows Live Messenger?."

     Scratching my head with this one as it SHOULD be OK ‘cos u invited me. Any idea’s guy’s..??

     Nothing to do with the fact its not an MSN email address do you think..??

  45. # Mutznutzon 06 Feb 2006 at 8:21 pm

    And with that, the bloody thing logs me in. Panic over. All now OK….GGRRRRR

     

    Thanks again fella

  46. # Kamenon 11 Feb 2006 at 5:50 am

    Hi there,

    can anyone invite this address? foggiano83@gmail.com

    Thank you in advance!

    Alessandro

  47. # Khloon 11 Feb 2006 at 8:49 am

    Sure, invite sent. One left

  48. # Linuzzzon 12 Feb 2006 at 8:04 am

    hi,

    can you send one invite???

    tnx!!!very much

     

  49. # Khloon 12 Feb 2006 at 11:28 am

    Sure, I’ve sent it to the e-mail address in your profile. Enjoy :)

    That’s all the invites for the moment! 

  50. # Khloon 13 Feb 2006 at 1:34 pm

    Two more invites available!

  51. # Tarqueon 23 Feb 2006 at 11:41 pm

    Hi…looking like im late for this one…any invites please…help..

    tarque@yahoo.com

  52. # Vodafon 02 Mar 2006 at 7:58 am

    can i get one of the invites?

    Thanks in advance 

  53. # Khloon 02 Mar 2006 at 6:03 pm

    Sure, I sent an invite to the e-mail address provided when you created an account.

  54. # Vodafon 03 Mar 2006 at 2:53 am

    Thanks a bunch!!

  55. # Khloon 13 Mar 2006 at 8:16 pm

    I've got another 10 invites available; leave a comment if you want one.

  56. # Khloon 14 Mar 2006 at 8:16 pm

    I have 21 invites now. Should probably give them to mess.be or something :)

  57. # Chrison 02 Jul 2006 at 8:19 pm

    hi there,

    this looks to be a bit late, but does anyone have any invites left?

    email address: chris.yuhico at gmail.com

    thanks!

  58. # Khloon 02 Jul 2006 at 9:45 pm

    Hey there,

    No need for an invite anymore! Just pop over to: http://get.live.com/messenger/overview

  59. # Libanon 28 Mar 2007 at 4:33 pm

    i am Liba Salad kahiye

  60. # Amy Omahoneyon 12 Aug 2007 at 5:53 pm

    iya

    i just want have something to have colour on ur name like xx-amy-xx in pink something like that or  red it will be really good and better on msn thanx if u do it

     

    from amy

  61. # Peteon 17 Feb 2008 at 5:25 pm

    Please send an invite to me! … and i dont have any friends… so please add me as a friend, so we can share music

  62. # Peteon 17 Feb 2008 at 5:26 pm

    my e-mail is: Daveypr@gmail.com

     

    Please send an invite

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