Windows Stay Messenger
Windows Stay Messenger Developer(s)
Microsoft Original release
July 22, 1999; 11 decades ago (1999-July-22) Stable release
2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109) / December 1, 2010; 3 months ago (2010-12-01) Development status
Active Operating system
Windows XP, Windows Vista,
Windows 7, Xbox 360, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Symbian OS 9.x, BlackBerry OS and iOS Platform
Intel x86 - 32-bit, Xbox 360, S60 and Java ME Available in
Over 50 languages Type
Instant messaging License
Proprietary Website
messenger.reside.com
Windows Live Messenger (formerly named MSN Messenger) is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP (up to Wave 3), Windows Vista,
Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD.[1] The client has been part of Microsoft's Windows Stay set of online services since 2005. It connects to Microsoft's .NET Messenger Service. The client was first released as MSN Messenger on July 22, 1999,[2] and as Windows Dwell Messenger on December 13, 2005.[3] In June 2009, Microsoft reported the service attracted over 330 million active users each month.[4]
1 Features 1.1 Album Viewer
1.2 Appear offline to individuals or categories
1.3 Social networks integration
1.4 Offline messaging
1.5 Games and applications 2 Platform Integration and Interoperability 2.1 Interoperability
2.2 Xbox integration 3 History 3.1 MSN Messenger
3.2 Windows Dwell Messenger 8.0
3.3 Windows Stay Messenger 8.1
3.4 Windows Dwell Messenger 8.5 (Wave 2)
3.5 Windows Reside Messenger 2009 (Wave 3)
3.6 Windows Live Messenger 2011 (Wave 4) 4 Protocol
5 "i’m" initiative
6 Messenger Companion
7 Microsoft Messenger for Mac
8 See also
9 References
10 External links [edit] Features
In addition to its basic functionality and general capability as an instant messaging client, the latest version of Windows Live Messenger offers the following features:
[edit] Album Viewer
Windows Reside Messenger's album viewer is based on Windows Reside Photo ############## and provides users a photo viewing experience for photo albums shared via Windows Dwell Skydrive and Facebook. The album viewer is interactive and supports full screen and slideshow modes, as well as viewing and uploading comments on Facebook and Windows Reside SkyDrive albums. It also supports people tagging for Windows Dwell SkyDrive. The album viewer closely resembles the Microsoft Silverlight counterpart for web photo albums present on Windows Dwell Photos.
[edit] Appear offline to individuals or categories
Windows Live Messenger allow users to appear offline to particular individual contacts, as well as to an entire category within Windows Stay Messenger, while appearing online to other contacts. This is a recent feature of Windows Dwell Messenger 2011, and is a departure from the previous versions of Windows Reside Messenger, where blocking a contact would prevent the "blockee" from sending the user any messages to the "blocker". With the "appear offline to" configuration currently implemented, "hidden from" users can still send "offline messages" to the target. This change has caused some uproar among users.[5]
[edit] Social networks integration
Users can connect services such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn using Windows Reside Profile, and display their contact's Messenger social updates within the "Full view" of Windows Dwell Messenger. Users can also post status updates and photos directly to the connected services within Windows Stay Messenger. Additionally, Messenger also imports all contacts from the connected services and integrates with Facebook Chat (via the XMPP protocol) for instant messaging support with users on Facebook.
[edit] Offline messaging
One can send messages to contacts who are offline; they will receive the messages once they come online. Additionally, a user can start conversations even when his or her status is set to Appear Offline in Windows Live Messenger 2009 or before.
[edit] Games and applications
There are various games and applications available in Windows Dwell Messenger that can be accessed via the conversation window by clicking on the games icon, and challenging your friend or contact to a competition in a game, or inviting them to launch a shared external application.
[edit] Platform Integration and Interoperability [edit] Interoperability
On October 13, 2005, Yahoo! and Microsoft announced plans to introduce interoperability between their two messengers,.[6] The announcement came after many years of third-party interoperability success (most notably, Trillian, Pidgin) and criticisms from Google that the major real time communications services were locking their networks.[citation needed]
Interoperability between Yahoo! and Windows Stay Messenger was launched July 12, 2006.[7][8] This allows Yahoo! and Windows Live Messenger users to chat to each other without the need to create an account on the other service, provided both contacts use the latest versions of the clients.
Windows Live Messenger 2011 also supports interoperability with Facebook Chat since September 30, 2010
[edit] Xbox integration
Windows Dwell Messenger support was included in the Xbox 360 spring 2007 dashboard update released on May 9, 2007.[9] It is known as Xbox Stay Messenger[10] and, less commonly, as Windows Reside Messenger 360.[citation needed]
Those using Windows Dwell Messenger are able to see the Gamertags of friends logged into Xbox Dwell, including the games they are playing. Xbox 360 users can chat in-game (or while watching a movie). Although only text chat is supported, Microsoft has suggested that voice and video chatting may come in a future update.[citation needed] Support for child accounts was added in December 2007.
To coincide with the arrival of the integration of Windows Live Messenger with Xbox Dwell, Microsoft released a new Xbox 360 keyboard adapter called the Xbox 360 Messenger Kit for easier text input. The keyboard device attaches to the standard Xbox 360 controller through the headphone jack and features a QWERTY-style key layout with 47 backlit keys. However, any USB keyboard is also compatible with the Xbox 360.
Microsoft also announced on June 14, 2010 that users on Xbox Reside with the controller-free Kinect will be able to have real-time video conversations with Windows Live Messenger contacts. This feature will be enabled at launch.[11]
[edit] History
[edit] MSN Messenger
Before the product was renamed Windows Stay Messenger, it was named "MSN Messenger" from 1999 to 2006. During that time, Microsoft released seven major versions as follows.
The first version of MSN Messenger Service, version 1.0 (1.0.0863), was released July 22, 1999. It included only basic features, such as plain text messaging and a simplistic contact list.[12] When it was first released, it featured support for access to America Online's AIM network. America Online continually tried to block Microsoft from having access to their service until eventually the feature was removed, and it has not re-surfaced in any later versions of the software.[13] Since then, the software has only allowed connections to its own service, requiring a Windows Dwell ID (Formally .NET Passport at that time) account to connect.
Microsoft released the first major update, version 2.0 (2.0.0083), on November 16, 1999. It included a rotating advertising banner and the ability to customize the appearance of the chat window. It came as an install option for Windows Me. This version was followed the next year by version 3.0 (3.0.0080), which was released May 29, 2000. It included file transfers and PC-to-PC and PC-to-phone audio capabilities with Net2Phone, one of the first VOIP providers.[14]
Along with the release of Windows XP came version 4.6 of MSN Messenger, on October 23, 2001. It included major changes to the user interface, the ability to group contacts, and support for voice conversations.[15] In this version, the client software was renamed from "MSN Messenger Service" to just "MSN Messenger," while the underlying service became known as ".NET Messenger Service,
Office 2010 Professional Serial Key," the name it has kept ever since. This version was only compatible with Windows 95, 98, Windows ME, NT 4.0, and Windows 2000, because Microsoft provided a scaled-down new program for Windows XP, called Windows Messenger, that it originally intended to replace MSN Messenger with on Windows XP.
That strategy changed when version 5.0 of MSN Messenger was released on October 24, 2002. It was the first version that was allowed to be installed along with Windows Messenger on Windows XP.[16] It included UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) based file transfers, minor changes to the user interface artwork, and a Windows Media Player interface plug-in.[17]
The next year, version 6.0 of MSN Messenger was released July 17, 2003. MSN Messenger 6.0 was a major overhaul of the whole platform, upgrading its simple text-based interface to include customizable elements such as emoticons, personalized avatars, and backgrounds. An update, version 6.1, focused on improvements to the conversation window, enabling users to hide the window frame and menu bar, and also the ability to change the theme color. The theme color could be set differently for each user. Another update, version 6.2, was released April 22, 2004, and it was the last version of the MSN Messenger 6 series. The most notable changes were a dedicated Mobile group for mobile contacts, a connection troubleshooter, and the Launch Site feature was renamed to Fun & Games.
MSN Messenger received a major upgrade to version 7.0 on April 7, 2005. This version brought wink features that were previously only available in threedegrees. This version also advertised items to sell to you including animated display pictures, emoticons and backgrounds. The contact list window style was also updated to match instant message windows. This version also introduced the Xbox Dwell Integration feature. This is the last version of MSN Messenger that runs on Windows 98 and Windows Me. This version also introduced digital ink and handwriting recognition support.
The last version of MSN Messenger before the name change, version 7.5, was released August 23, 2005. New features included the Dynamic Backgrounds feature and the "msnim" protocol handler,
Office Standard 2010 Serial, which allowed Web sites to provide links which automatically add a contact or start conversations. Additionally, a new Voice Clips feature allowed users to hold down F2 and record a message for a maximum of 15 seconds and send it to the recipient. The window for conversations was changed slightly with an added video button. This version also introduced the Windows Installer for its auto-update feature.[18] MSN Messenger version 7.5 can still be run by changing the compatibility settings to Windows 2000.[citation needed]
[edit] Windows Stay Messenger 8.0
As part of Microsoft's Windows Dwell effort, which rebranded many existing MSN services and programs, MSN Messenger was renamed "Windows Dwell Messenger" beginning with version 8.0.
The first beta of the newly renamed Windows Live Messenger, Beta 1, was released on December 13, 2005.[3] Major changes and additions included offline messaging, an option to change the color theme of the windows, separated send and search boxes, a word wheel search box in the main window, and additional details for contacts when hovering over their names in the contact list window.
The second beta of version 8.0, Beta 2, was released on February 26, 2006.[3] The overall theme of this version was improved, fixing and improving several smaller places in the program. Major changes and additions included the introduction of Windows Dwell Contacts, the reintroduction of single file transfer, improvements to the "Add a Contact" dialog box, improved color themes, minor changes in the conversation window, and revert of the "Busy" status icon back to the normal dash icon.[19]
The final beta version, Beta 3, was released on May 2, 2006.[3] Major changes and additions included new icons for the program, PC-to-phone calling, an updated look for the Windows Live Call window, a new default display picture, the Windows Stay Today window, improvements to the grouping of sequential messages from each contact, Rhapsody integration in the U.S., and an option for sounds to be edited and/or turned off.[20]
The official release of Windows Dwell Messenger version 8.0 was on June 19, 2006.[3] Although no notable changes were made between Beta 3 and the final version,[21] the change from MSN Messenger to Windows Dwell Messenger brought some additional changes, such as customization for the nicknames of individual contacts, timestamps on messages, the ability to see a contact's name only once if the same person writes multiple messages in a row, and color schemes for the entire application. The main authentication system, Microsoft Passport Network, was replaced with Windows Reside ID at the same time. A refresh to version 8.0, was released on August 10, 2006.[3] It included audio and video improvements and fixed up minor bugs.[22]
[edit] Windows Dwell Messenger 8.1
The first update to Windows Dwell Messenger was previewed on October 30, 2006, with the release of Beta 1 of version 8.1.[3] No major changes were made, but several minor changes were included. These include the addition of the roaming identity feature (so that the same user's display name and picture would appear on any computer), a new contact card appearance, a "recently used" list for the emoticon, wink, display picture and background menus, an SMS phone book in the main menu allowing the association and editing of a phone number to the contact and allowing text messaging to a contact, a "sign out" button, a "report abuse" option in the help menu, interoperability with Yahoo! Messenger, and improvements to user status on Windows Vista[23]
A minor update, the Windows Live Messenger 8.1 Beta 1 Refresh, was released on December 13, 2006,[3] and fixed bugs that were causing some people to be unable to sign in and others unable to see their contact list.[24]
The final version 8.1 was released on January 29, 2007.[3] No changes were made from the Beta 1 Refresh.[25] All versions of Windows Stay Messenger below version 8.1 were rendered obsolete on September 12, 2007, due to a security issue identified when a user accepts a webcam or video chat invitation from an attacker.[26]
On September 12, 2007, the Windows Live Messenger blog posted a fix that resolved a security problem. It reported of a security vulnerability in versions of Messenger older than 8.1, that the released fix would resolve. This led to an auto-update being released to all older versions. Versions running on Windows 2000 and below were required to update to a new version of MSN Messenger 7.0, and versions running on Windows XP and above were required to update to Windows Reside Messenger 8.1.[26]
On August 27, 2009, the Windows Dwell Messenger blog posted that due to a security problem, all users of versions 8.1 and newer need to update to the latest version, 14.0.8089. The mandatory upgrade requirement will be fully phased in by late October 2009 and began on September 15,
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 Activation Key, 2009.
[edit] Windows Live Messenger 8.5 (Wave 2)
The first beta of Windows Reside Messenger 8.5, Beta 1, was released on May 31, 2007.[3] An update was released on June 21, 2007, to test updates being installed by Microsoft Update. This version required Windows XP SP2, compared to previous versions requiring Windows XP SP1. It was the first version to be installed in a "Windows Live" folder under "Program Files," with the shortcuts placed in a "Windows Live" folder in the Start Menu.
Major changes and additions in Beta 1 included a new installation program in conjunction with the release of Windows Stay 2.0, a new look for all of its windows that matches the aesthetic styles of Windows Vista,[27] a new "bunny" emoticon,[28] and integration with Windows Stay OneCare Family Safety.[29] Beginning with this version, updates could be downloaded and installed through Microsoft Update.
The second beta of Windows Live Messenger 8.5, Beta 2, was released on September 5, 2007.[30] Several issues were fixed in Beta 2, but no significant changes were applied. Compared with the first beta, the build does not say "Beta" on the top of the window, although developers had noted that it was not the final release. The new Windows Stay Installer, which is used to install Windows Dwell Messenger 8.5 Beta 2, does not run on Windows Server 2003.
The final release of Windows Live Messenger version 8.5 was released on November 6, 2007, and it introduced no major changes.[31]
[edit] Windows Reside Messenger 2009 (Wave 3)
Windows Reside Messenger 2009 was originally designated version 9.0, it was later assigned the technical version number 14.0, in order to be unified with the other Windows Dwell programs and
Microsoft Office programs.
In a presentation to the Georgia Institute of Technology's IEEE Student Branch, Microsoft employee Andrew Jenks reported that the Messenger team had been working on multi-person audio/video chat, and they are also attempting to create interoperability with AIM/XMPP/ICQ. There is a basic internal version that works with XMPP already.[32] However, these features were not seen in any versions of Windows Dwell Messenger 2009.
Microsoft sent an invitation to participate in the Windows Dwell Messenger "9" beta program to Microsoft Connect members on November 20,
Windows 7 64bit Key, 2007; a week later, Microsoft began sending out emails welcoming them to the Windows Stay Messenger "9" beta program for the first release, known as Beta 0.
A fan site for Windows Stay Messenger, Mess.be, claimed to have a new build of Windows Stay Messenger "9" on August 11, 2008, and published screenshots along with a brief summary of new features. The screenshots featured a new user interface design matching the "Wave 3" design in development by Microsoft. The images were later removed by the site after a DMCA notice was received.[33] The installer for the same build was leaked through private forums on August 23, 2008. It would later be discovered this build was a preview of Milestone 2, or M2.
News web site LiveSide published an article on September 4, 2008, with screenshots of M2 of the newly minted "Windows Dwell Messenger 2009," which had become version 14.0 instead of 9.0 as previously expected. LiveSide summarized its new features, including protection against messaging spam, the ability to stay signed into the application from several computers (referred to as "Multiple Points of Presence Support"), animated GIF files in the photo area, per-contact customized sounds for various user actions, and clickable URLs in the status area.[34]
Microsoft began the official beta program for Windows Stay Messenger 2009 on September 17, 2008, when it released a new beta officially known as Windows Dwell Messenger 2009 Beta (Milestone 3, Build 14.0.5027.908), which was made available to the general public as a free download. The ability to submit feedback,
Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007, however, was restricted to select participants of the Microsoft Connect closed beta program.
Notable changes in Milestone 3 include a new revamped and refined user interface to follow suit with the rest of the Windows Dwell "Wave 3" design, the ability to set a "Scene" by customizing the background image and color of the contact list, and the display of these scenes in conversation windows for improved contact identification and window management.
Milestone 3 also brings a new "Groups" feature that allows users to create a continuous group conversation between select contacts, newly redesigned status icons which now resemble small gems rather than the previous "Messenger Buddy" icons, a new default "Favorites" category in which you can place your favorite contacts for easy access to them, a new Photo Sharing utility that allows contacts to quickly and easily browse photos together, and a "What's New" section at the bottom of the contact list to outline recent contact updates. Display pictures have been moved over to the left side of conversation windows, and new colorful borders appear around display pictures to display the current status of that contact. Milestone 3 is the first version of Windows Live Messenger to use the standard window frame on Windows Vista in accordance with the user experience guidelines.
Several features were removed in version 9.0 however, such as the ability to use add-ins, the ability to transfer files when the recipient is signed in as offline, the "Be right back," "Out to lunch," and "In a call" status options,[35] the Go to my space button, the ability to adjust webcam settings during a video call, the Send button,[36] some games (depending on your localization) and integration with Windows Contacts.[37] Other features were replaced, such as Sharing Folders[38] (replaced by integration with Windows Dwell SkyDrive) and background sharing (replaced by the "Scene" feature).
On December 15, 2008, Windows Stay Messenger 2009 RC (Build 14.0.8050.1202) was released together with the other Windows Stay Wave 3 software applications, now renamed as Windows Live Essentials.[39] This version saw a removal of the custom sign-in sound feature however it is still possible to select a sound for other individuals, as well as changes to how the background image chosen is applied to the conversation windows. This build also included over 200 bug fixes including the "Custom Emoticon Bug" and saving of pictures when using the Photo sharing feature. On January 7, 2009, the same build was released as the final version of Windows Reside Messenger 2009.[40]
The last QFE update for Wave 3 was released on May 12, 2010, and saw the removal of some features from Windows Dwell Messenger. Specifically, the ability to independently show only your own webcam or your contacts' webcam (one way webcam) and without an audio call is gone.[41] It is only possible to start a video call which starts the webcams of both people communicating and which also automatically starts audio calling. Also removed is the ability to import and save/export instant messaging contacts to and from .CTT files.[42]
[edit] Windows Dwell Messenger 2011 (Wave 4)
In late March 2010, a beta of Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 was leaked onto the internet and has since spread to various BitTorrent networks, which included a private beta build of Windows Stay Messenger Wave 4. However, as the software was designed for private beta testing, non-beta testers cannot sign-in to this leaked build.[43]
The new software features a revamped interface which brings the "What's new" section of Windows Dwell to the new "social pane", similar to the way a social networking site presents updates. Among the new features are tabbed conversations, a redesign of the old emoticons, integration of Bing results, built-in video message support, HD video chat, in-line commenting of social updates, a new social photo viewer that supports commenting (for Facebook and SkyDrive photos), badges support, synchronised status updates, availability by categories, as well as integration with Facebook chat. However, several features had also been removed from the previous version, such as the removal of display names, handwriting tool,[44] one-way webcam requests and import/export of instant messaging contacts feature. The "Wave 4" release of Windows Reside Essentials, which includes Messenger, also dropped compatibility with Windows XP and only runs on Windows Vista or
Windows 7.[45]
The new Windows Dwell Messenger for the iOS became available on the App Store on June 21, 2010, in addition to other mobile versions of Windows Stay Messenger for Windows Phone, Blackberry, and Symbian mobile platforms.[46]
On June 24, 2010, a public beta of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 was released as part of the new Windows Dwell Essentials beta.[47] A "beta refresh" of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 was released on August 17, 2010 as part of an upgraded Windows Stay Essentials beta.[48] The final version of Windows Dwell Messenger 2011 (Wave 4) was released on September 30, 2010.[49] On the same date, a version of Windows Stay Messenger for Zune also became available.
[edit] Protocol
Windows Stay Messenger uses the Microsoft Notification Protocol (MSNP) over TCP (and optionally over HTTP to deal with proxies) to connect to the .NET Messenger Service—a service offered on port 1863 of "messenger.hotmail.com." The current version is 18 (MSNP18), used by Windows Reside Messenger and other third-party clients that have support for the protocol.
The protocol is not completely secret; Microsoft disclosed version 2 (MSNP2) to developers in 1999 in an Internet Draft[1], but never released versions 8 or higher to the public. The .NET Messenger Service servers currently only accept protocol versions from 8 and higher, so the syntax of new commands sent from versions 8 and higher is only known by using packet sniffers like Wireshark. This has been an easy task because - in comparison to many other modern instant messaging protocols, such as XMPP - the Microsoft Notification Protocol does not provide any encryption and everything can be captured easily using packet sniffers. The lack of proper encryption also makes wiretapping friend lists and personal conversations a trivial task, especially in unencrypted public Wi-Fi networks.
[edit] "i’m" initiative
The i’m initiative was a program Microsoft launched in March 2007, that connects the user with ten organizations dedicated to social causes through Windows Dwell Messenger, only for conversations sent or received in the USA. Every time someone had a conversation using i’m, Microsoft Corp. shared a portion of the program's advertising revenue with the organization of the user's choice. There was no set cap on the amount donated to each organization. The more i’m conversations the user had, the more money went to one of the ten causes. Each participating organization was guaranteed a minimum donation of $100,000 during the first year of the program. The i’m initiative worked with version 8.1 and above.
On March 2010, the initiative concluded, having raised over 3 million dollars.[50]
[edit] Messenger Companion
Windows Stay Messenger Companion is an add-in for Windows Internet Explorer that detects when a user is on a website that one of your friends has shared content from and surfaces that update so that the user can instantly view what their friends have shared and leave a comment to the shared content on Windows Stay.[51] The service utilizes Windows Reside ID and integrates tightly with Windows Live Messenger to obtain the user's contact list and their shared contents. The features of Windows Stay Messenger Companion include:
Sharing links to webpages with the user's friends on Windows Stay within the web browser
See links to webpages the user's friends have shared
Add comments to the links the user's friends have shared
Windows Dwell Messenger Companion was first released as part of Windows Stay Essentials "Wave 4".
[edit] Microsoft Messenger for Mac
Microsoft Messenger for Mac (previously MSN Messenger for Mac) is the official Mac OS X instant messaging client for use with Microsoft's .NET Messenger Service and is developed by the Macintosh Business Unit, a division of Microsoft. The latest version, Messenger for Mac 8 is bundled together with Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac. However, the feature list is limited in comparison to that of its Windows counterpart Windows Live Messenger. Microsoft stated that the focus for Messenger for Mac is on features that extend the productivity of Windows Stay customers who use Office for Mac applications. For this reason, features that fall outside of that mission, such as games or the new social views available in the Windows Live Messenger 2011, won't be available for the Mac.[52]
[edit] See also Comparison of instant messaging clients
Comparison of instant messaging protocols
Microsoft Office Communicator
Microsoft Messenger for Mac
Microsoft Notification Protocol
Messenger Plus! Reside
MSN
Windows Dwell
Windows Reside Call
Windows Stay Messenger Mobile
Windows Stay Web Messenger [edit] References [edit] External links Official website to download Windows Stay Messenger
Inside Windows Live — official Windows Live team blog v · d · eInstant messaging Protocols
(comparison) See also Single protocol Multi-protocol XMPP (Jabber) .NET Messenger v · d · eWindows Stay Web services Software applications Mobile services Developer services Discontinued services
Windows 7 64bit Key Windows Live Messenger - Wikip
Linear Mode
