Scan & Fix 50 registry issues FREECNET Editors' review
This program improves on its predecessor, MSN Messenger, with the ability to share folders and files locally with fellow users. Windows Live Messenger also serves up the standard emoticons, multiplayer-only gaming, free PC-to-PC calling, mobile phone messaging, and video chatting in a full 640x480-pixel screen. VoIP capabilities allow you to call telephones around the world for a fee, although you can't receive inbound calls from landlines or cell phones.
During the quick installation, Windows Live Messenger offers optional shortcuts, a sign-in assistant, and Rhapsody music software, as well as the ability to change your Internet Explorer home page to MSN. You can store up to 600 contacts, integrated with your Windows Live Mail account. We found the integration a bit heavy-handed, especially when links opened in IE rather than our default browser. Also, like most dedicated chat clients, the program is a memory hog.
The Sharing Folders feature lets you and your buddy transfer files by displaying a mirror of each others' files. You can drag and drop files into the chat window or Sharing Folder. Microsoft includes a free scanner for checking files for viruses, but it didn't recognize our Symantec AntiVirus. It's unclear whether the shared files are stored on both computers or on Microsoft servers, but you can access the files offline. We wish help were offline, too, especially since the online help is so general. While Windows Live Messenger isn't yet the ultimate communications hub, it's a solid, fun, multimedia chatting tool.
Windows Live Messenger:Publisher's Description
From Microsoft:
MSN Messenger is an instant-messaging program that notifies you when your friends are online so you can send messages or chat with several friends at once. In addition, MSN Messenger notifies you when you have new e-mail in your Hotmail account and allows you to access your inbox with the click of a button. You have full control over who can contact you and view whether you are online. At any time, you can see a list of all users who have added you to their lists, and you can easily block them if you choose to do so. You also can invite someone in your list to meet over the Internet or to play an Internet game using NetMeeting. The program will even notify you when someone you are communicating with is typing so you can avoid overlapping messages. MSN Messenger also offers integration with Outlook Express 5.0.
You can visit chat rooms and join in, arrange your contacts into groups, select emoticons from a drop-down list, and get quick access to all MSN Messenger's features with a single click. The latest version features miscellaneous minor updates.
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All versions:
3.4 starsout of 622 votes
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Current version:
3.9 starsout of 95 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Great communication software, worldwide used and very easy to understand."
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
Great software, can't recommend it enough. Many people use it and it's easy to understand why. Supports smileys, webcam and some mini-games. Also has possibility to transfer files which makes this software better then msn 7.0 that denies certain files, all in microsoft monopolitic style.
Cons
Some disturbing pop-ups can appear but with security updates from windows will fix it.
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"Would be 4.5 if you fix it up a bit."
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
Windows Messenger is not the same as MSN Messenger so remove it from your computer, for it only takes up space and gets annoying to have. MSN Messenger, after tweaking it up a bit, works rather great. Display pictures is a nice little touch, and since most people in my region (Canada) have a hotmail or a .NET account, you will find lots of people using it. You can also check your hotmail e-mails and inboxes in one click, so its a neat program. You must do additional work on it, however to enjoy this program.
Cons
Messenger Plus! is a MUST-HAVE if you have MSN Messenger. It is almost like a crack add-on program to this and it lets do customize it in so many ways. For those who want to rename your contacts, you can even do that. When you first get MSN Messenger, the annoying pop-up messages and useless "tabs" must be turned off in the settings. After much filtering, there will still be that annoying ad-banner in the bottom, which messenger plus! hides. However, once in awhile, you will see it sort of appear then disappear. For this you must search for a crack for whatever version of msn messenger you have, which will eliminate the ad-ware completely. The only reason I haven't upgraded to 7.0 is because there is no supported crack for the ad-ware.
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"An absolute disappointment to say the least"
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
Easy to uninstall, and provides gimmicky things such as nudges should you so desire them.
Cons
The MSN Messenger product tends to take up more unnecessary real estate on my desktop with each incremental version; this is especially true for version 7.0 of the product.
I prefer a messenger client to be minimal in appearance or to at least provide some means of configuration that allows me to control the appearance and switch certain aspects off.
This version has a huge pane at the top that conveys my identity, picture, status, new emails, spaces, and MSN today. The only useful information in that pane is my status and the number of new emails, so why can't I remove what is not useful to me?
I also never use the tabs presented at the left hand side of the contacts, and again there is no way for the user to remove these.
There now appears to be an integrated web search button in messenger, which cannot be switched off and cannot be changed to use any other search engine other than MSN search. As expected, when using this functionality it will invoke Internet Explorer regardless of your default browser; much like the hotmail link. You will also notice that when messaging they have now included advertising at the bottom; yet another annoyance.
To conclude I was hoping this version would be more configurable and would at least allow me to rename contacts, but instead it appears this release is to incorporate more advertising and to drive MSN search usage.
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"Needs more work"
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
I find it very easy and intuitive to chat with other friends and family.
Cons
I cannot make or receive telephone calls at all!
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"You kind of HAVE to use it"
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
It's really easy and has less bugs than AIM... also, you can choose your font colours, which is a plus. Go chat. NOW!
Cons
You don't really have a choice, because all of your friends use it. If you have any friends. :)
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"Great IM client"
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
Excellent IM client & proves to be a popular choice today.
Cons
New betas of MSN 7 may look too busy & complex. But this version seems to be OK.
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"if you have tried MSN Messenger 7.0 you'll know it is a big improvement"
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
try the msn messenger 7.0 beta just go to google and search msn messenger and click where it says try the new msn messenger beta
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"Not so good, but cannot help using it."
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
Total fits the Download.Com's description of 3*s.---
this is a decent, solid program. It has no major flaws, but it didn't knock my socks off. There may be similar programs that work better, have more features, or are easier to use.
Some how, I have an attachment ot this product. I tried trillain and found out that the(trillian) interface was very user-unfriendly. THis may not be due to the fact that trillian is indeed user-unfriendly, maybe it is just because of the familarity to this product.
Used by many, thus, it is more pratical to use this rather than ICQ or Yahoo!
Cons
No special features. File transfer is incredibly slow. Never succeeded in starting an audio conversation.
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"Chat Chat Chat!"
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
Great program, especially if your a student who wants to arrange a night out with friends or just not go out at all and chat instead through the computer instead. Has some good features, for example you can appear offline, meaning you don't have to be pestered by people instead only login once that certain person you want to talk to has (although that can backfire if their doing the same thing)!
Cons
You can download the new MSN Messenger Beta which has loads of cool new features, so go check it out!
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"Quite good but needs some more features"
Version: MSN Messenger (Windows XP) 6.2
Pros
I liked this becuase it is a simple program which enables me to talk to lots of people easily. It supports voice and video conversations which weren't as good as I would of hoped for, but the inclusion of these features can't be faulted.
Cons
This program needs lots of new features such as the abilty to rename contacts so you dont have to see thier irriating display name in the main window. Also it needs the ability to sign in with a certain status (which is coming in msn messenger 7). It also needs improved voice and video support otherwise people will switch to VoIP technology to have voice conversations over the internet.
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