R.I.P. MSN Messenger

Microsoft has laid its Messenger program to rest, after almost 14 years of service.

Last year, the software giant announced that it would be retiring MSN/Windows Live Messenger, replacing it with massively popular video chat and instant messaging platform Skype.

Today was the last day to migrate your account over to Skype.

Messenger launched in 1999, and was once very popular for instant messaging, just like AOL's AIM was. The service is generally credited with growing the popularity of emoticons.

MSN had lost popularity in recent years thanks to the rise of Google Talk, BlackBerry Messenger and Apple Messenger.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Mar 2013 20:23

A5J4DX

goodbye...its been good while it lasted...

15.3.2013 20:38 #1

flyingpen

I know msn is old and hasn't been updated in a long time and I know in some ways skype is much much better but...
Skype is completely focused on the video/call part of the program to the point where the chat features are severely lacking. One point not being able to change font color... wtf? Hell irssi irc supports changing the font color and thats terminal based but skype can't?
And what the edited by ddp am I suppose to do when they cut the msn support on phones when my win7phone doesn't have decent skype integration? (the only way to be on skype is to have it always on and you can't use ANY other web program without logging off first.
I have international friends, so instead of texting we use msn to communicate...

15.3.2013 20:58 #2

elitepunk

no1cares..

15.3.2013 21:25 #3

ivymike

Good riddance, MSN Messenger....

15.3.2013 22:20 #4

DDR4life

@ elitepunk & ivymike
You two are the first ones I've ever heard comment negatively about msn messenger. Mind, I'm not criticizing but making an observation.

@ A5J4DX
In total agreement. Msn messenger, Yahoo! messenger, Aim. I've tried them all. Msn just being my messenger of choice. I will miss it.

But to each his own, I suppose.

16.3.2013 03:01 #5

joebloe12

Originally posted by DDR4life: @ elitepunk & ivymike
You two are the first ones I've ever heard comment negatively about msn messenger. Mind, I'm not criticizing but making an observation.

@ A5J4DX
In total agreement. Msn messenger, Yahoo! messenger, Aim. I've tried them all. Msn just being my messenger of choice. I will miss it.

But to each his own, I suppose.
well let me be a THIRD! I learned how to turn MSN messenger off when I got all of my former Operating systems on my computer.

Was completely useless to me.

16.3.2013 04:34 #6

Bozobub

You are confusing the shitty Messenger app (OR "Windows Messenger" , which has even less to do with WLM) included with Windows with WLM ("Windows Live Messenger"). They're NOT the same thing, although they did use the same network. WLM did not come with Windows; you had to choose to install it in the 1st place.

16.3.2013 10:49 #7

dali

I agree with flyingpen. The chat in Skype is ugly and counter-intuitive. Live Messenger was light years ahead, but M$ just let it die, instead of promoting it as a very good alternative (in fact, a much better one) to services like Whatsapp or the hideous facebook chat itself. Fail!

Besides that, Skype lacks one very important feature that Live Messenger had: The ability of going automatically "busy" and not showing any notifications when running a full-screen app (like watching a movie).

"You know, it seems that quotes on the internet are becoming less and less reliable." -Abraham Lincoln.

16.3.2013 12:45 #8

PraisesToAllah

MSN Messenger was very nice. It was very useful and it was the top Messenger at its time.

16.3.2013 18:10 #9

Mr_Bill06

I as well will miss WLM. There may be many chat apps still around alive and kicking but I always found WLM to be superior to the rest. I have tried Skype and dislike the chat part, to me it seems unfinished and rushed. I have since switched to Trillian and doubt I will ever use Skype as my main IM program.

16.3.2013 22:28 #10

Jemborg

I consider Skype to be bloaty.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

17.3.2013 00:20 #11

DDR4life

Originally posted by joebloe12:
well let me be a THIRD! I learned how to turn MSN messenger off when I got all of my former Operating systems on my computer.

Was completely useless to me. Yeah, what Bozobub said.

Windows Messenger came prepackaged with Win XP. Tried only once and couldn't get it off my comp fast enough for my liking. (Lol) Afaik, it was never a part of Vista or Win 7.

Windows Live Messenger was a horse of a different color. You needed to download it from MS web page if you wanted it. Imo, it was a smoother more intuitive interface, if you will, than most other IM clients. I am sorry to see it go. But... what can you do?

17.3.2013 13:36 #12

plazma247

Personally, im sad to see it go, as for skype meh, dont want the bloat or adverts, forget it...

Thanks for making me use google talk more microsoft :)

18.3.2013 19:45 #13

dali

Originally posted by plazma247: Personally, im sad to see it go, as for skype meh, dont want the bloat or adverts, forget it...

Thanks for making me use google talk more microsoft :)

Yes, this is just the last of a large list of mistakes they have been making lately.

"You know, it seems that quotes on the internet are becoming less and less reliable." -Abraham Lincoln.

18.3.2013 20:13 #14

Bozobub

"Silly change for the sake of change"
- Ribbon menus.
- GUI rearrangements (to the point of silliness).
- Security that exists only to annoy users (and is bypassable by malware), AKA "UAC".
- Metro.
- And so on. I'm sure anyone can add many items to this list.

Yeah, they've been on this bandwagon for a long time. My belief is that you're seeing change driven by the need of specific groups of engineers to make their own, public stamp on things, without actually bothering to see if it's a good idea ^^' .

Edit �> How am I a "Senior Member", when dali isn't..? I could swear dali has been around far longer and has participated more often =x . Not that it matters all that much, I'm just curious.

18.3.2013 20:55 #15

dali

I agree with your entire list, of course. I'd add to it the shutdown of the ad-supported version of Office.

You are a senior member of AD because you have posted 500+ times here and I have not (in fact, less than 300 posts, as claimed by my account info, so I'm kinda halfway to being "promoted"). But you're quite right; I've been around for quite a long time now: Since 2002. That is, 11 years. :)

"You know, it seems that quotes on the internet are becoming less and less reliable." -Abraham Lincoln.

18.3.2013 22:29 #16

Bozobub

OK, thanks, that makes sense. I was wondering if it was just my oozing...CHARISMA, that's it, charisma, yeah, yeah... xD

18.3.2013 22:55 #17

Darney53

I miss MSN messenger. Did the transition to skype, but don't use it.

28.3.2013 13:45 #18

AfzalBhutto (unverified)

It was nice, messenger. RIP

8.4.2013 12:55 #19

Garregish

I say, up yours micro$oft!!!!!!!!! I've used MSN messenger, without issues, nearly exclusively for years. So long in fact, that my account was Grandfathered, I get all the "paid for" features at no charge, because I had the account before they had "paid for" services. In other words, I've used msn messenger for a very long time.

Recently, I went back to ICQ. At one time, ICQ was THE messenger platform to have. In fact, it is the sole reason Micro$oft and Yahoo revamped their platforms to include emoticons, file and photo transfers, voice chat, and video chat / conferencing. ICQ had these long before MSN, AIM, Yahoo or any other messaging platform.

So now on to the meat of the post. After news of the msn / Skype conversion, I removed msn from my system. Skype is a resource hog. Now I do know a fair bit about computers. Not everything, but I know a duck when I see a duck. *If it walks like a duck, has feathers like a duck, quacks like a duck, and lays duck eggs, it's probably a duck*.

The point being, where Skype is such a resource pig, compared to other platforms, what is it doing that uses resources while idle? I'm not stating straight out that skype is full of spyware, but it looks an awfully lot like a duck.....

I will NOT EVER put Skype on my system, and know other people that say exactly the same thing for exactly the same reason.

One thing I like about ICQ is that I can also send and receive messages to Facebook, without having to open fb and I get a notification when I get a reply. No logging in to check. I have been using ICQ pretty much since they came online, and have never had any security issues. This is a program I will go on record as stating it is secure and legitimate, not spam ware.

I have to disagree with the author though, about MSN losing users to google talk or apple or yahoo. Most people use both platforms, msn and yahoo or msn and google, etc. The biggest cut into msn's users is probably Facebook. Even then, I and most others, continued using MSN as well as Facebook.

My theory, is simply that micro$oft found a was to squeeze a few more pennies out of the piggy bank, sold rights to Skype, who in return, thinks they are getting a massive new customer base to sell its paid services too. HA!!! Joke's on them, isn't it?

26.4.2013 07:27 #20

dali

Originally posted by Garregish: My theory, is simply that micro$oft found a was to squeeze a few more pennies out of the piggy bank, sold rights to Skype, who in return, thinks they are getting a massive new customer base to sell its paid services too. HA!!! Joke's on them, isn't it?
It's actually the other way around. Microsoft bought Skype, and then they killed Live Messenger in an effort to unify both platforms and bring more users to Skype, which is now a Microsoft product.

"You know, it seems that quotes on the internet are becoming less and less reliable." -Abraham Lincoln.

26.4.2013 14:54 #21

xboxdvl2

i actually remember ICQ in the 90s when you could rename an exe file tell someone its a game and invade there computer soon as they download it.I thought ICQ died years ago (guess i was wrong).

i've had a hotmail account since 1998 and never paid any money,its a shame we have skype trying to sell us phone calls.i use skype i imported all my contacts from msn.menus are a bit harder to navigate but still useable.

i have the big screen tv,a ps3 and 5.1 channel surround sound.car still runs smooth and computer still works but its a bit outdated.

26.4.2013 17:04 #22

Garregish

Originally posted by dali: Originally posted by Garregish: My theory, is simply that micro$oft found a was to squeeze a few more pennies out of the piggy bank, sold rights to Skype, who in return, thinks they are getting a massive new customer base to sell its paid services too. HA!!! Joke's on them, isn't it?
It's actually the other way around. Microsoft bought Skype, and then they killed Live Messenger in an effort to unify both platforms and bring more users to Skype, which is now a Microsoft product. ok, figured they just sold the platform. Figures Micro$oft would be looking for ways to pinch a penny. I wonder if they will get greedy and stupid enough to try to make hotmail a pay for use service? I can see a lot of people migrating to yahoo and gmail, or registering for a free domain / hosting platform, for the personal mail utility. Personally, I'd pay the $1.99 per year for a .info domain before paying even one penny to micro$oft for something I have been getting free. Hotmail is pretty good, but it isn't THAT good. *actually, I have a hosting platform now, for my warcraft guild web page, so adding a 2nd domain to the platform is really easy to do*

26.4.2013 19:43 #23

Garregish

Originally posted by xboxdvl2: i actually remember ICQ in the 90s when you could rename an exe file tell someone its a game and invade there computer soon as they download it.I thought ICQ died years ago (guess i was wrong).

i've had a hotmail account since 1998 and never paid any money,its a shame we have skype trying to sell us phone calls.i use skype i imported all my contacts from msn.menus are a bit harder to navigate but still useable. That wasn't an ICQ issue though, that could be done with any media sharing platform. People just weren't as educated back then as they are today, and the scanners weren't as good to catch invalid file extensions. *lol* Ok, my nerdery is really showing now.

26.4.2013 19:46 #24

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