mynetx

Windows Live and You: A Chinese Microsoft fanboy (Yan Zhu)

Continuing the series of interviews for Windows Live and You, I talked with the owner of Chinese LiveSide, which is LiveSino.net. He lives in Shanghai, China; many of you will probably know him as “Picturepan2” while his real name is Yan Zhu (??).

mynetx: Sorry to steal your night, I find it good that you have some minutes nevertheless.

Picturepan2: No problem, haha.

mynetx: So, try describing yourself and your connection to Windows Live, in one sentence.

Picturepan2: I am Picturepan2, self-proclaimed Microsoft fanboy, from LiveSino.net where I blog about Windows Live and other Microsoft stuff.

mynetx: Fan-boy you say. There aren’t many such people in China, true?

Picturepan2: Yes, true.

mynetx: And how come you became a Windows Liver? Since when are you in the business? Tell me a bit about your story.

Picturepan2: I was a normal Windows Live user (or tester) since November 2005, when Windows Live was first announced. In summer 2006, I accidentally found a fatal bug which I could use to get any Windows Live Spaces users’ Windows Live IDs without tools or permissions. After that I contacted Kip at LiveSide and kept watching Windows Live until now.

By the way, I am also the LiveSide representative for China and this is why I started blogging at LiveSino.

mynetx: Ah, quite interesting.

Picturepan2: I didnt even know what Windows Live was when I found that bug.

mynetx: You’re using Windows Live Messenger since you got to know it?

Picturepan2: I think the answer is Yes. The first Windows Live Messenger I used looked cute and much more different than what it looks today.

mynetx: What version was that?

Picturepan2: Windows Live Messenger 8.0 Beta 1 in 2005 Dec.; http://livesino.net/archives/321.live.

mynetx: Do you think Messenger has improved from back in version 8.0 until today, 14.0?

Picturepan2: Hmmm. You can hardly say it has improved a lot, but I have to say some parts have.

mynetx: Like?

Picturepan2: Such as What’s New integration, user interface…

mynetx: Hmm. And what do you like most in Windows Live at all? Apart from Messenger, that is.

Picturepan2: What’s New! Actually there are some others.

mynetx: So, pick one. 🙂

Picturepan2: Windows Live ID infrastructure enables user login and using all Microsoft offerings.

mynetx: The unified login makes sign-in at Microsoft, wherever you are, easy. Right?

Picturepan2: Yes.

mynetx: What is the thing you’d love most to be added to Messenger?

Picturepan2: A Plugin platform. As you know, Messenger Plus!’s plugin platform is awesome.

I wish Windows Live Messenger could learn something from Messenger Plus!…

mynetx: Do you think the Windows Live Team is going to add support for a plugin platform in Wave 4?

Picturepan2: I don’t think so. There is still no strong reason for them to do that. lol

mynetx: So, what about your usage of Windows Live. Is Messenger always open and signed in? Maybe you’ve got kind of a daily routine with Windows Live.

Picturepan2: Yes, almost always. But I don’t use Windows Live Messenger when i am REALLY busy.

mynetx: When you’re using Messenger intensively, maybe you have a tip that not everybody knows about?

Picturepan2: I always use PhotoShare feature to show screenshots, though it is not clear enough.

To start using it, just press Print Scrn button then Ctrl+V when back to conversation window.

mynetx: Are you working on any project at the moment which is related to Windows Live?

Picturepan2: 😛 no, I am currently only blog about Windows Live and other Microsoft offerings at LiveSino.

mynetx: Any plans for LiveSino’s future?

Picturepan2: Of course, LiveSino will cover more stuff from Microsoft and other companies related to Windows Live.

mynetx: And I will be watching LiveSino for interesting news on Windows Live. 😉 Thanks for your time.

Picturepan2: You’re welcome.