MPLCode

A Messenger Plus! script for sending/receiving programming codes formatted instead of plain-text.

WLMStatus

Allows to display your current Messenger status on a website or forum signature. Several people have notified us of permanent error messages like “Failed to validate download signature,” and the next update will fix this. Also stay tuned for the next server release, which will introduce Messenger Plus! format codes parsing and correct emoticons placing on the images.

Plus! VRT Radiospeler

If you are living in Belgium, this is going to be interesting for you: listen not only to all radio programs broadcast by the VRT, as the upcoming update adds on-demand stations for even more radio fun in Messenger. Get more info about this from Bram Lancsweert.

Skinning work

I am currently working on updates for 3 Messenger skins, including Apple Live Messenger, stormless Messenger and Plus!Patch. Pending any surfacing news about the next version of Messenger, I will release these updates as soon as I finished coding support for Messenger 2009.

Twitter2PSM

Everybody knows Twitter these days, and I have plans to add OAuth support to the next version of Twitter2PSM. What should I add as well? Leave a comment or tweet and we’ll see.

Oh, before I forget: I will change the script name, but am too lazy to think of a new name. The easier way: I ask you! Think about a new, unique name for Twitter2PSM (that does not include the word “Twitter”). If I take the name you suggested, you win $10 USD!

mynetx.net

I don’t want to mention too much in beforehand, but: I will create a corporate site for mynetx Creations. The URL mynetx.net will not redirect to blog.mynetx.net anymore, but there will be a prominent link to it instead. The site contents? Well, that’s a surprise!

Oh, and my secret drawer…

Yes, I have some stuffs in my secret drawer too. When I pull them out, I will tell you. I also started cooperations with some very cool sites, but it’s just too early to talk about those.

Questions? Suggestions? Begging? Tips?

Leave a reply, tweet me, poke me, ping me, contact me however you like to!

• Come posso aggiornare Messenger? Devo farlo?
  Puoi aggiornare Messenger scaricando il suo installer web. L’aggiornamento è raccomandato, ma non ancora obbligatorio.
• Funzioneranno gli add-on per Messenger con questa versione aggiornata?
  Sì. Ecco una lista degli add-on per Messenger che funzionano:
  • Messenger Plus! Live
  • MessengerDiscovery
  • LiveScratcher
  • BuddyFuse
• Funzioneranno le skin per Messenger in PLSK?
  Questo dipende dalla skin e dalle impostazioni di “restrizione”. Per esempio, Plus!Patch ha bisogno di un aggiornamento per lavorare con questa versione. (Se sei un utente esperto, potresti facilmente modificare il file SkinInfo.xml e farlo partire; il numero di questa build di Messenger è 8089.) Will Ingles nota:

  Tutti possono aggiornare in modo sicuro la loro versione senza preoccupazioni per le loro skin. Messenger Plus! sembra funzionare alla perfezione con questa nuova build.

• Posso tenere ancora spenti i frame di Windows Aero?
  Per tua convenienza, sto lavorando ad una versione aggiornata di Messenger Aero Switcher. Torna qui per maggiori informazioni a riguardo.

• How can I upgrade Messenger? Do I have to?
  You can upgrade Messenger by downloading its web installer. Upgrading is recommended, yet not mandatory.
• Do Messenger add-ons work with the updated version?
  Yes. Here is a list of Messenger add-ons that are known to work:
  • Messenger Plus! Live
  • MessengerDiscovery
  • LiveScratcher
  • BuddyFuse
• Do Messenger skins in PLSK format work?
  That depends on the skins and their “restriction” settings. For example, Plus!Patch needs an update to work with this version. (If you are an experienced user, you may safely edit the SkinInfo.xml to get it running; Messenger’s new build number is 8089.) Will Ingles notes:

  People can safely upgrade to this new build without worrying about their skins breaking. Messenger Plus! also seems to be working perfectly fine on this new build.

• Can I still turn those Windows Aero frames off?
  For your convenience, I am working on an updated version of Messenger Aero Switcher. Stay tuned for more information about this soon.

mynetx: I find it great that you got some minutes to talk with me about Windows Live and You.
Tell me a bit about yourself. Is your life directly or indirectly involved with Windows Live?

Frans-Willem: I’m not as much involved with Windows Live as I used to, mainly because studying and everything around that (yes, drinking and having fun) takes up a lot of time, but Windows Live Messenger is still my primary means of day-to-day communication with friends.

mynetx: How were you involved with Windows Live? What is your history, that is, how did you come to Windows Live Messenger?

Frans-Willem: Well, I don’t quite remember how I got in touch with Windows Live (or at that time MSN) Messenger. I do remember what got me started on developing though. Back in the time of Messenger 5 or 6, Patchou suddenly launched a plug-in architecture for Messenger Plus!. I’d always been interested in writing programs, but I’d never gotten round to serious development with C, mainly because command line was so incredibly boring compared to the forms that you could get with Visual Basic. But then suddenly I *could* make fun things with C. I started out with some simple code to convert text for you, e.g. leet speak, but as I kept finding out more things, I kept adding more and more stuff to my plug-in. That’s mainly how StuffPlug got it’s name: It was a plug-in without a clear goal or feature set, it was just a plug-in with all the stuff I’d written: StuffPlug.

At some point though I got better at C, and that got me into Assembler, and I started adjusting small things in Messenger to make it better fit my wishes. It started out with bigger display pictures, and then time-zone adjustable clocks as I talked with lots of people overseas, and I just “fixed” any annoyance I had with Messenger.

Nowadays however I think WLM 9 is pretty close to perfect. I don’t see an immediate need to adjust stuff, and I’m not even using Plus! anymore as the built-in logging is pretty good.

Anything else you wanted to know on that subject ? I feel I’m just rambling on now.

mynetx: Do you think the Windows Live team cares for their users’ demands? Why?

Frans-Willem: Hmmm, good question. I’m not sure. They used to be very open to the community, I remember Leah was very passionate about the blog, but these days I feel the messengersays blog is mostly just marketing. Also I’m not sure I or you still fall in their desired user-group, all they seem to be focusing on is 10 year olds obsessed with nudges, winks, sounds, and emoticons.

Although I must say that somewhere along the line some pretty nifty features snuck in, like built-in polygamy or the word wheel, that makes me feel that there are at least a few developers or Program Managers at Microsoft concerned with the actual usability

mynetx: Yahoo—Microsoft. What did you think last summer?

Frans-Willem: Well, to be honest, I was hoping that it had marked the start for more interoperability between IM networks, but I feel a bit let down. I don’t actually know anyone that uses Yahoo as their primary IM client, but when I tried it I felt like they only did the bare minimum to get people to talk to each other. I’m still waiting for interoperability between WLM and Google Talk, but I’m afraid that’s never going to happen…

mynetx: – what about Windows Live & Facebook?

Frans-Willem: Well, it’s handy that my PSM gets synched up with Facebook, but that’s about it, I guess

mynetx: Within the next five years, where could you picture Windows Live?

Frans-Willem: Hmmm, I’m not sure really. I mean, there’s a lot of things I’d *like* to see, like GTalk and WLM interoperability as I mentioned before, but for some reason Microsoft always seems to surprise me, and never seems to go the obvious routes. I mean come on, they just renamed their search engine after they pumped millions of dollars into getting a global brand name for all their online services. wtf ?

One thing I do hope though is that they’ll come up with something new for once. Instead of constantly following (e.g. Spaces after blogging, social networks just while Facebook was coming up, etc.), I’m hoping they’ll come up with something new and exciting and start leading again

mynetx: Give two positive and negative comments on any Windows Live product.

Frans-Willem: Hmm.
Positive:
- They’re really reaching out to other platforms, Yahoo, Facebook.
- Most of the products are always properly finished and polished, even the beta products just work.

Negative:
- Too much following, not enough leading.

mynetx: Do you run Windows Live Messenger 24/7? Do you have some kind of a routine with Messenger and the other parts of Windows Live?

Frans-Willem: Not 24/7, I shut down my PC at nights, but if I’m awake, my PC is on, and WLM is on Not really a routine, although I do make a point of answering all offline messages I get

mynetx: Use your fantasy: how do you think Messenger will look like within the next five years? What new features could it present?

Frans-Willem: Hmmm, well, GTalk and AIM integration for one . Not sure what else I’m missing though :/

mynetx: What about Tabbed Chatting?

Frans-Willem: Hmm, I’m good with the Vista taskbar grouping to be honest.

mynetx: Your guess for the next release, Wave 4—what might be in the oven for Windows Live Messenger 2010?

Frans-Willem: I’m hoping much more integration with other, non Windows Live, services. Seeing as they’ve only just begun with that, I think there’s a fair chance they’ll be expanding that in Wave 4.

mynetx: Services like?

Frans-Willem: Hmmm, I’m not sure if they’ll be expanding to more services. I think it’s more likely the integration they currently have will be expanded. e.g. see Facebook info in WLM instead of the other way round, automatically linking up contacts to their Facebook accounts, etc.

mynetx: Are you satisfied with the Windows Live services that are provided to you?

Frans-Willem: Hmm, yeah, in general I am

mynetx: Why?

Frans-Willem: Probably not the answer you’re looking for, but they’re all free services. Yes, they might have a few shortcomings (like ads), but it’s free, so what right do you have to complain about those ?

mynetx: Heh, good point though…
What is your favorite feature in Messenger?

Frans-Willem: Hah, that’s easy! The conversations

Seriously though, there’s lots of nice features, but in the end I use it because I can have conversations with my friends using it. If all my friends would be using AIM, I’m pretty sure I’d been using that instead. But if you really want me to pick a feature outside of chatting, I’d go for the word wheel above the contacts. With the number of people in my list that’s pretty essential

mynetx: Ever heard of Live Mesh? What was your first impression of it? Could it be a new diverse method of file sharing among peers, or could it improve the current system at hand?

Frans-Willem: Hmm, yeah, I have Live Mesh installed on both my computers. I’m not really using it though, for file sharing I usually just use a simple off-line USB-key (just bought a nice new one actually, LaCie iAmAKey, totally love it ), and for remote administration I have Remote Desktop enabled. I kind of dislike Live Mesh not being able to use a different resolution than the one I have at home apart from scaling, viewing 3200×1200 on a 15″ laptop screen doesn’t really allow me to read anything.

mynetx: So you would like to see a resolution customization like the one in Remote Desktop?

Frans-Willem: I wasn’t aware you could use it to share files with friends though, I should take a look at that. But I’m not convinced it’ll be a “new diverse method of file sharing among peers” really, I’ve heard that claim one too many times (remember Messenger shared folders?).

Hmmm, not sure I need Live Mesh actually, Remote desktop really does everything I’d want it to :-/ But then again, for people that didn’t set up a subdomain to always link to their home IP might find it more convenient to use Live Mesh

mynetx: Do you wish Messenger would have a feature that a third-party IM software already has? As add-on developer, this question might be especially interesting for you…

Frans-Willem: Hmmm, I haven’t really used any other IM applications recently, so I wouldn’t know. I did hear Pidgin does some nice things like set the window icon to the display picture of the other person

mynetx: Yes, I’ve seen that recently as well.
As Messenger user, I’m sure you’ve got a good tip that not everybody might know about yet.

Frans-Willem: Hmm, yeah. The word wheel, use it It’s so incredibly easy to just Alt-Tab to Messenger, type in whomever you’re looking for, hit Enter, and start typing immediately

mynetx: Are you working on any project related to Windows Live currently?

Frans-Willem: Hmm, yeah, LiveScratcher, but not very actively at the moment, some university deadlines coming up. I hope to be able to get some major work done in July though

mynetx: What’s it about?

Frans-Willem: Well, it’s about putting every technical trick I know about Messenger into a big library. I’m hoping I can write a framework that I can use myself to write another StuffPlug like add-on on, as well as allow other developers to use it to write theirs. It’s like Plus! scripting, but then with all of Plus!’s own features implemented in scripts too.

mynetx: That sounds exciting!

Frans-Willem: For people interested, there are some really early previews on livescratcher.com, and there’s a mailing list you can use to get in touch with me and other interested people. Mind you though, the current stuff is only for developers. So normal users beware, but developers please check it out and let me know what you think. Loads of feedback ensures that it ends up a nice platform to work with

mynetx: Down to what level, do you think, might your library reach?

Frans-Willem: Well, for now I’ve only done some DirectUI stuff, which allows you to play with Messenger’s user interface. Like remove something here, add something there, change a background or a picture. Like skinning, but then instead of replacing everything, just targeting small bits.

I intend to write a nice wrapper around all the messenger API’s, and add extra functionality like send text and data from scripts. And at the moment I’m doing some research on in-memory patching, to allow for things like removing the nudge limit. I’m hoping to expose everything I used in StuffPlug to scripting.

And as with StuffPlug, it’ll always be a work-in-progress. I do intend to keep adding new stuff I learn. But it’s set up in a very modular way, that allows me (or maybe other developers) to plug in extra parts when needed. And there’s also a way for scripts to communicate with each other, so someone might write a script that doesn’t really add any features for the user, but will expose some new functionality for other scripts to use.

mynetx: And—what about compatibility with the existing Messenger add-ons (Messenger Plus!, MessengerDiscovery, SweetIM and more)?

Frans-Willem: Hah, what kind of question is that Of course it’ll be compatible, I always put a lot of thought into that sorts of things If Patchou and Matt are ok with it, I might even add methods to communicate with Plus! and MD scripts

mynetx: How patient should we be until we see usable bits of all this appear, especially if they’re not developers? Can we get excited?

Frans-Willem: Hmmm, developers can get excited, but I’m afraid it’ll take some time before there’s something user-friendly enough for normal users. Mind you though that it’s a massive project, and I want to think through each and every aspect of it carefully to make sure it turns into a nice API, so it will take some time

mynetx: Okay — “StuffPlug 4”?

Frans-Willem: Yes, hopefully at some point My slogan while developing is
“Hmm, I wonder if I can do this better…”

mynetx: I think that’s a great thing you got in mind. Anyways, I’ve bothered you enough for now!
Thank you for spending these minutes on Windows Live and You.

Frans-Willem: You’re welcome

• The settings of your scripts and skins can now be exported from the preferences panel and re-imported back.
• The workaround for displaying long chat logs in the Log Viewer for IE8 has been removed, as the bug present in beta versions of IE8 has been fixed in IE8 Final.
• This release is contest-ready!
  • In this version, you will see a new golden icon in your Messenger toolbar. Those who participated in the contest 2 years ago will probably remember what this is.
  • A “Play and Win” menu has been added in the contact list.
  • The 2009 Contest is not open yet, it will be in about a week from now. Remember to give it a try in July!

Free download: Messenger Plus! 5.0.1.706

I will post more details on the contest as soon as they are approved to talk about publicly.

• When did you first start using Messenger?
• What’s your most memorable Messenger conversation?
• When certain features were introduced over the years, which ones really stood out for you?

Tell me about your memories—whether it is just two sentences or half a page!

You will have to repair the internal shortcuts for *.plsc and *.plsk files.

The solution: Repair your file shortcuts

• Open the Control Panel.
• Go to the Uninstall section for programs.
• Act as if you were going to uninstall Messenger Plus!.
• Choose Repair.
• Remove all check boxes so none of your preferences get overwritten.

This should fix any wrong shortcuts so you can import scripts and skins correctly again.

mynetx: Nice that you got some minutes to talk about Windows Live and You. To get started, please describe yourself and your connection with Windows Live, in one sentence.

Dane: My name is Dane N. (sometimes referred to as Dane Smith), and I’ve been part of the Messenger Community since Messenger Plus! 2 Alpha in 2002.

mynetx: Quite a long time… Tell me a bit about your history.

Dane: In 2002 I applied to test Messenger Plus! 2 Alpha. Over the years, I’ve become obsessed with everything to do with (what was then) MSN Messenger (and now) Windows Live Messenger. The Microsoft Messaging Platform has always been my #1 Instant Messaging Service due to its ease of use and integration better than any other client into Windows. Over the years, I developed sometimes strange hobbies such as collecting new computer worms and viruses and submitting them to antivirus companies as well as working on the team of 2 startup webhosting companies and eventually starting my own, Technology Pulse. Today, I still test Messenger Plus! Live and market a product aimed to keep users in touch with contacts called WLMStatus Premium.

mynetx: So you are a Messenger tester?

Dane: Yes. I’ve been testing Messenger products for Microsoft since Version 6.0.

mynetx: Interesting. What has your experience with the testing platform Microsoft Connect, as well as getting in touch with the Windows Live team and the other beta testers, been like, up to now?

Dane: Well, back in the day we used a communication platform for testing called Beta Place. I liked this site because it wasn’t overly crowded and had just what you needed in order to test. Microsoft Connect is nice, but I think it keeps you a bit “too connected” with users and the voting system is never really used that much from what I’ve seen, it doesn’t seem like an effective platform for me. The Windows Live Team has always been easy for me to get in contact with, I have a few of them on my own personal contact list and as a Windows Live Butterfly, if I need to get in touch with someone I don’t have contact info for, I can get that information very easily. My contact list also contains mostly other Messenger Testers.

mynetx: Butterfly. Could you explain this term?

Dane: Yes. A Windows Live Butterfly is somebody who excels and goes above and beyond while testing Microsoft Windows Live products. Anyone who is recognized as a butterfly consistently provides valuable feedback to Microsoft and traditionally helps non-techie users with problems with their Windows Live Products. Windows Live Butterflies automatically gain acceptance into new Windows Live Beta Programs upon request, no application required, because as a butterfly our work is proven to be effective and useful.

mynetx: So it’s a great job you’re doing in testing Windows Live products. Is it still interesting for you, after all the time?

Dane: I’m glad you asked that. After all these years and versions, it is still interesting because even with minor releases, you see your work being put into the resulting Microsoft Products, even if its something as small as a bug fix or typo fix. Knowing that you’re contributing to making a great product even better is what makes it rewarding and fun.

mynetx: When you are going that far beyond an average Messenger user of nowadays, let’s talk about your personal habits. What part does Messenger play in your daily computer and web routine?

Dane: Messenger plays a big role in my life, online and off. You see, it’s such an important aspect of my communication that I have mobile versions of Messenger on my Apple iPhone 3G and am logged in (even if in Appear Offline status) for more than 12 hours a day usually. Right when I log onto a computer, Messenger is the first thing I check for. I sign in and catch up on messages before going anywhere else online. And when I’m done checking with the program itself, I scour the common technology news sites looking for more messenger related news.

mynetx: Hmm. “Addicted.” Sounds reasonable?

Dane: Yes. Without a doubt, it’s very important to me.

mynetx: What is your favorite feature in Messenger?

Dane: Out of the latest iterations, my favorite feature would have to be by far the Nudge function. I always hate when I’m asking someone an important question and they aren’t looking, its nice to nudge them and get that answer quicker.

mynetx: Like ringing a literal bell in front of the phone microphone?

Dane: Yes Sir. It never fails.

mynetx: . Unless people ignore nudges deliberately, lol. — However.

And what do you like most in Windows Live at all?

Dane: I only really rely upon two windows live products. Windows Live Messenger (of course), and Windows Live Hotmail Plus.

mynetx: What is the different between Hotmail and Hotmail Plus?

Dane: These days, not much. 10 GB of Mail Storage, No Account Expiration, No advertisements and File attachments up to 20 MB.

I originally purchased it for POP3, which is now part of the free hotmail.

mynetx: True—Good coup with Wave 3. Liked it?

Dane: Wave 3 is amazing. Another fine performance from the Windows Live Team.

mynetx: When Messenger is one of the two Windows Live products you rely on, I’m sure you’ve got a breaking tip for an “aha” effect. Give me a tip you consider precious.

Dane: I don’t really have a tip as much as a suggestion. Never use Windows Live Messenger without its proper counterpart, Messenger Plus! Live.

mynetx: Why?

Dane: In my opinion, Windows Live Messenger is naked without Messenger Plus! Live cause the immense amount of useful features the Messenger Plus! Live software offers. My favorite features added by the Plus! Live software but not built into Messenger include Tabbed Conversations, Quick Text Recall, and Boss Protect Mode.

mynetx: Talking about Messenger features—what is the thing you’d love most to be added to Messenger?

Dane: Native Tabbed Chatting.

mynetx: Do you think this feature will be added in Windows Live Wave 4?

Dane: I do not. I feel like this is a feature Microsoft doesn’t want to touch as of yet.

mynetx: But why?

Dane: It would require another interface adjustment, rather large, and I don’t think Wave 4 will change the interface massively this time around to prevent confusion from users.

mynetx: And finally, what’s the Live-related project you’re currently working on?

Dane: I’m continuing my work on WLMStatus Premium, which uses Messenger Plus! Live and Windows Live Messenger to deliver status information in image form to users’ websites. I’m also working on another project, but I cannot discuss that at this time.

mynetx: Any hint? (A)

Dane: Haha, nope, sorry

mynetx: Fine, then. Anyways, I found it great that you took your time to discuss your relation to Windows Live. Windows Live and You—what would your subtitle for this interview be?

Dane: “From The Beginning.” And Thank you for interviewing me.

I had to completely recode the entire skin and re-think certain parts of the skin to suit Messenger 2009. While most of the skin retains the layout from the previous version you will notice some differences in version 2.

The most major one is that fade animations had to be scrapped. Sad to say that they have changed in Messenger 2009 and are extremely restricted. I couldn’t really find a balance between making it work, look right and not lag the skin up.

The custom Messenger Plus! UI has also been scrapped due to the fact that Messenger Plus! Live 5 will be entering development soon and I would rather wait to see what is going to happen with the UI before diving in too deep.

The registry entries that I added in the previous version return in version 2. There are a few new ones such as choosing the size of the extra display picture in the chat window and also the one in the contact list. Toolbar alignment options are also in these entries.

Phunk’n – Infusco

Download: Phunk’n – Infusco 2.0.1 (for Messenger 2009 only)

Phunk’n – Niveus

Download: Phunk’n – Niveus 2.0.1 (for Messenger 2009 only)

What do you think about this skin set?

Source: [Release] Phunk’n 2

Bram: Nice that you got some minutes to talk with me about Windows Live and You. To get started, please describe yourself and your connection with Windows Live, in one sentence.

mynetx: “Messenger-addicted” – I think that term matches me and my relation to Windows Live the best.

Bram: “Messenger-addicted”, you say, how many hours per day are you on Messenger?

mynetx: As web developer, my work is nearly 100% web-based, and thus I am usually signed into Messenger all the time that I am on my computer, half of that time even with two accounts simultaneously.

I usually work up to 12-14 hours per day.

Bram: What is your favorite feature in Messenger?

mynetx: My favorite Messenger feature is a very basic one: the ability to set your status. While there were quite many different statuses up to Messenger 8.5, they got reduced to only 4 in Messenger 2009. Many people considered this as a disadvantage in first place, but, to be honest, it’s an advantage. In my opinion this has brought the way the status is being used, back to the originally intended one: Just to show your status. I mean – you can always tell your contacts what you’re doing exactly, in your personal status message…

mynetx: I am glad that most people in my contact list respect the status I set. They won’t disturb me when I am Busy, they won’t try to talk with me when I am Away, they will bother me when I am Available (lol), and they won’t see me at all when I Appear Offline.

Bram: Talking about a status, am I disturbing you now?

mynetx: Well, you are a bit, but I find it interesting to talk with you about my own relation with Windows Live, so that doesn’t matter.

Bram: I know that you are a relatively good script and skin developer with Messenger Plus! Live, what do you most like to create, a script or a skin?

mynetx: Hah, good question. You know, I love creating both. Seeing as skinning brought me into the Messenger Plus! beta tester team, back in late 2007, I like creating skins. Of course I am not able to create as highly-polished skins as people like Will Ingles, but people do like the designs I realize for Messenger.

You might be surprised though, because I only created two skins so far. That is simply due to the fact that creating a skin involves much – really much! – work. You have to edit hundreds of images, arrange them properly, restart Messenger dozens of times (yes Patchou, please remove that painful obligation!), etc. The end result might look simple, but my opinion is: the cleaner, the more simple a skin looks in the end, the more work it has been for the designer to create this awesomeness.

On the other hand, I haven’t counted the dozens of scripts I already finished, like WLMStatus (showing your Messenger status on web images). I have also helped other scripters to add functions to their scripts. Many of these scripts are just small tools, but they enhance your experience and that’s why I find delight in realizing them. Some of the ideas for scripts come directly from the users’ inputs, while others are born out of simple need for having a certain function myself.

Bram: Messenger Plus! Live has an update function for scripts and skins, this was your idea, I heard. How did you came up to this idea?

mynetx: The truth is: it wasn’t my idea. However, I reheated the topic when I saw that many people were using outdated versions of scripts being up-to-date in the Official scripting database.

Bram: Let’s talk a bit about the future, what is the thing you’d love most to be added in Messenger?

mynetx: Tabbed Chatting. I know I know, so many people said that before me. But – if so many people say it: why is it ignored, for ages, by the Windows Live team?

Bram: Why do you want this feature, when it is already available in Messenger Plus! Live?

mynetx: Microsoft has implemented tabs in Internet Explorer – why not in Messenger? Millions of users would shout hurray! I don’t like that a great product only gets usable with a certain third-party add-on. Of course, many features are not added directly in Messenger because the percentage of people who would use this is too low, compared to the total Messenger user base. But tabbed chatting – out of 10 users, how many would want, or at least, like to see this in Messenger? Interesting idea you brought me, I will have a look at the settings statistics of Messenger Plus!: Then we all know how many percent of Plus! users use tabs vs. single conversation windows.

It’s just – the principle. Microsoft should continue their way to listen to their users, and not only when the common opinion matches randomly their company and project road map.

Bram: And do you think tabbed chats will be added in Windows Live Wave 4?

mynetx: Honestly, I don’t know, but I hope it very much. Possible is anything… And as I am interesting in anything that is being added in Wave 4, I will keep my eyes and ears open to get news when they are still fresh.

At least the Windows Live team is currently gathering and sorting ideas. It’s very silent behind the curtain these days – not even Butterflies get fresh info. Who knows what’s going on…

Bram: I find it great that you took the time to talk with me about Windows Live and You. Thanks for your time!

mynetx: No problem – was quite interesting to think about my own relation to Windows Live. Thank you for your time and – you did a good job!

mynetx: Nice that you got some minutes for this interview. For the beginning, describe yourself and your connection with Windows Live, in one sentence.

Mauro: Since the Windows Live program began (yet at ideas.live.com) Messenger has become part of my daily life, as the whole Live suite.

mynetx: Yourself?

Mauro: So, it has became part of my life =P. I now use it to connect with friends instead of using a telephone, also meet some people from foreign countries, and get the best of internet, especially with the integration between WLMail and WLMessenger, which includes calendar sharing (nice to plan meetings) and easy emailing (when Instant Messages aren’t enough).

mynetx: So we’re right into the topic! What is your favorite feature in Messenger?

Mauro: Video conference. It’s gorgeous! Especially when in High-quality full-screen mode. I’ve got some distant relatives which I barely talked to before Messenger, now it’s pretty nice to be able to just talk over Messenger as if I were face-to-face with them.

mynetx: And what do you like most in Windows Live at all?

Mauro: Integration. You can have everything in the touch of a button, like sync all email accounts, calendars and feeds from Windows Live Mail.

mynetx: And you use that frequently?

Mauro: Sure. Messenger and Mail are programmed to automatically open after Vista has me logged in, and from those two only I can get to everything I’d use, like Calendar from Mail and SkyDrive from Messenger.

mynetx: Great combination, hmm?

Mauro: Sure =P. SkyDrive is pretty better than those old sharing folders (which I only used once, when testing Messenger 8), since they don’t need both contacts to be online.

mynetx: Now, turning from what exists, to what doesn’t exist yet: What is the thing you’d love most to be added to Messenger?

Mauro: Better integration with people from other services, like GTalk. Also, improved stability wouldn’t hurt….

mynetx: Do you think Windows Live Wave 4 will feature such improved integration?

Mauro: Not sure… They’ve been promising it since the beginning, and there has been some years since the first time I heard it.

mynetx: I wonder if you heard of my April Fools joke…

Mauro: Which one? =P

mynetx: This year’s one, “New IM networks for Windows Live”.

Mauro: Oh =P, yes, I did.

Mauro: At least they seem to be trying to do something better. This month for example, I noticed Messenger could be acessed directly from Hotmail.

I was in a friend’s house finishing a short movie, schoolwork, when I was uploading it to my mail, it was right there =)

mynetx: True, Messenger in Hotmail has rolled out to more markets last days.

Mauro: Yep I had that before in GMail, it’s nice.

mynetx: Over to your schedules. Are you running Messenger whenever your PC is on? What are you doing, with Windows Live, usually after your computer has started?

Mauro: Yes, it’s always on. Messenger and Mail are always there, ready to use, so whenever I need them, it just works. (As Vista was promised to…)

After I’ve been logged, I’ll just hide it’s windows, and let things happen. The offline message toast panel appears, so I can restart last day’s unfinished conversation, and soon Mail will alert me about received emails.

While nothing happens, I’m looking for anything, from school subjects to mere curiosity things.

mynetx: And the What’s new lists date you up?

Mauro: Not really… In fact, I’ve turned it off. It seems to not work really well. All updates I get are old (like 1 week old) and not interesting, only things like “Someone played with other one and someone won (few days ago)”.

mynetx: Heh. Did you know you can edit the settings of what shows up in the What’s new feed?

Mauro: I do =P, but it acts as if I didn’t change it. In your case for example, there is “45 Minutes ago: updated Twitter”, while twitter updates are turned off.

(And looks like I finally got something new…)

mynetx: Since when are you in the Live business? Tell me a bit about your history.

Mauro: Well, I first knew about Messenger with an uncle, the same who introduced me to graphics editing. It was MSN Messenger 6.2 yet, wasn’t really good, but I really liked it.

mynetx: When was that?

Mauro: I think it was about 5 years ago, not sure.

Then a friend told me about an add-on, Messenger Plus!, which extended its functionality. I installed it, liked, but like many people who just trust everyone, uninstalled it thinking it had ad ware.

Then everything was renewed by Live; a friend of mine got an invite from another friend.

mynetx: When was it when you discovered Messenger Plus?

Mauro: It wasn’t instant. First I got used to Messenger. then after the 7.0, I discovered Plus!. Dial up internet ;p, forgot how slow it was?

After I got the Live invite, and installed the new Messenger, I started looking for what was new. The look was gorgeous, Sharing folders kind of worked with the only one I knew to have the beta, and the Live concept was beginning to take a form. First, it was only Messenger. Then there were Spaces. Then a new Hotmail, then everything just came in a big bang.

After Messenger 8.5, I was thinking about buying Vista, and so did I some time later, only then I discovered how nice the Live suite was. Everything worked better than with XP, everything seemed more natural, and got even better after the 14.0 update. In the meantime, I was beginning to learn English. I first started using Messenger to actually use it in the 8.1 edition… When I had enough knowledge, I downloaded Plus! again, by that time I knew how to check if it would be safe.

I loved it! Seemed much better than the one I had used in MSN Messenger times…

mynetx: It had become Messenger Plus! Live 4

Mauro: Yep =P It was MPL 4.21, I remember that well. After some time, I decided I’d help people who built it all, started to submit feedback about Messenger, some things were really fixed.

Then I’d be amazed at a new Messenger Plus! functionality, the one that made me be what I am today. I started to skin Messenger, a friend had just installed the 4.50 version and asked if I could build a skin for him as he didn’t like any of the ones there were available. Well, so did I. Ev0 was way too dark, and Apple Live was nice but it didn’t fit Windows, sorry =P

mynetx: Haha, Apple Live is my skin!

Mauro: That was the time when everything merged. The whole Windows Live suite, Vista, and Messenger Plus! were working together.

mynetx: When you’re using Messenger intensively, I’m sure you’ve got a breaking tip for an “aha” effect. Give me a tip you consider precious

Mauro: Don’t ever use network intensive stuff when video calls are active – your messages start to have a HUGE delay.

mynetx: And finally, what’s the Live-related project you’re currently working on?

Mauro: Do skins count? =P

mynetx: Sure!

Mauro: So, that’s all I do for Messenger by now. There aren’t any interesting betas right now, and the best I can do are them. I like to give people power of choice, so make skins which can change Messenger only a bit: there’s always a “return to default” option.

That power of choice was the same one I like to be owner of when I got the chance to test Live, and now I just want to give people that same feeling.

mynetx: Any details of your current skin in development?

Mauro: Sure =) It’s the light counterpart of “The Favourite”, which I think will be named Clarus. (To be the opposite of Darkus, both not yet definitive.)

I think you’ve already seen them, a skin based on different tones; dark overall with light details, and the inverse in the counterpart.

The next one will be a minimalistic skin for those people who still prefer low resolutions, so they’ll be able to save some space.

mynetx: Great! Looking forward to your contributions . I really appreciate that you took a few minutes to talk with me about Windows Live and You.

Mauro: My pleasure! ^^

mynetx: Nice that I may talk with you a bit about Windows Live and You. Would you mind introducing yourself and your Windows Live relation in one sentence?

Siebe: I’m Siebe Tolsma, and I work as a Software Development Engineer at Microsoft in Canada. I’m with the Windows Live Platform team, who ship the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit

mynetx: What’s that?

Siebe: It’s a toolkit which helps developers add Messenger functionality to their own websites. It consists of two parts — The first is a set of fully skinnable UI controls. The second is a javascript library that can be used to build similar functionality from the ground up.

mynetx: Ah – like custom Messengers running from the Web?

Siebe: Yes, exactly. Developers can add Messenger to their website, so their visitors can now interact with their buddies right from the web… and of course bring new visitors to your website that way.

mynetx: Competition to traditional Web Messengers, like eBuddy or Meebo, in your opinion?

Siebe: No, I think of it more of a way to provide additional functionality to developers, whereas Meebo and eBuddy only have the core web messenger functionality. For example, with our toolkit, you can very quickly and easily set up some controls and code to enable sharing of content between the visitors of your website and their buddies. I like to think of our toolkit as web messenger plus the cool and exciting features of your own website.

mynetx: Your job in the Windows Live Platform team must be a great one, true?

Siebe: Absolutely, I get to work with some very smart people and develop great new products for Windows Live. Being on top of the latest and greatest web stuff is a great way to spend my day It’s a dream come true, haha.

mynetx: . By the way, since when are you in the Live business? Tell me a bit about your history and how you came to that job.

Siebe: Ah, it’s a bit of a long story, but interesting nevertheless. Back in 2003 (I think it was), I started a new bot (or Windows Live Agent, as they are called now) called BOT2K3. For those who don’t remember or don’t know it, it was a bot you could add to your contact list and play games with and so on.

From there I got to know a lot of people from the Windows Live (and MSN) community, and eventually a few people from Microsoft. After a few informal meet-ups with them and a few others from the community, I was invited to submit my resumé to do an internship in Redmond. Eventually I did two internships and ended up here in Canada as a full-time employee.

mynetx: I start understanding your dream came true, lol. When I first got to know you a bit, that was when I read some news on mess.be and noticed that they had been brought to them by “Inky”

Siebe: Yes! During those days I was known under the nickname Inky. I got to know Dwergs and I did some news posts for his popular news website Mess.be.

mynetx: As an MS worker in the Live team, are you running Messenger 24/7? Maybe you’ve got kind of a daily routine with Windows Live.

Siebe: Yeah, my life pretty much revolves around Messenger. I love the new MPOP feature (signing on at work and at home). I talk to my friends and parents back home on Messenger, as well as the rest of my team. Being up in Canada away from my manager and the rest of my team is a bit of a challenge, but using Messenger all day to communicate makes things a lot easier

The first thing I do every day is check any IMs I got overnight, and last thing is usually saying good night to all the rest of my friends across the globe.

mynetx: What is your favorite feature in Messenger?

Siebe: There’s so many to chose from! But if I had to pick, it would be the categories and groups in the contact list and MPOP as a close second.

mynetx: Why?

Siebe: Being able to sort and categories all my contacts is very important to me, even when there is a search feature. I have gotten so many contacts over the years. Being able to sort them out helps me remember where I know them from

As for MPOP, it is very useful to be able to read back things I said during the day when I get home in the evening.. And now I can just leave my computer signed in all day

mynetx: May I ask how many categories you have?

Siebe: I have about 12 categories with about 150 online contacts (plus a similar amount of offline contacts).

mynetx: Hmhmm. Not many for a Softie, hm?

Siebe: Haha, perhaps not. But I think it’s more than enough

mynetx: And how many Live IDs do you run?

Siebe: I currently only actively use two Live IDs — One for Messenger, and one for my XBOX and Zune (which is tied to a single country).

mynetx: Ahh. Looking at the rest of the Windows Live bubble, what do you like most in Windows Live at all?

Siebe: Well, Messenger obviously, haha. But aside from that, I think Writer and Mail are great products. I also use Spaces, but I feel that it could use some work

mynetx: When you’re using Messenger intensively, I’m sure you’ve got a breaking tip for an “aha” effect. Give me a tip you consider precious

Siebe: I really like being able to drag new pictures onto the “me area” to update my display picture. It saves a lot of time rummaging around in the various dialogs.

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

Siebe: A few minor things at this point. First would be “inline chat”, quickly sending messages from the contact list itself. Second is better mark-up support (similar to what Messenger Plus! already does) and finally the ability to disable Photo Sharing without regedit hacks

mynetx: Are you using Messenger Plus!, by the way?

Siebe: No, I don’t.

mynetx: Do you think the features you mentioned, will be added in Windows Live Wave 4?

Siebe: I can’t really say. Planning is underway, but I think we’ll all have to be patient and see what cool stuff the client team comes up with this time around

mynetx: Are we going to see any interesting changes or additions to the Web Toolkit? I can’t wait to see…

Siebe: Definitely! We will be releasing an update very shortly with a bunch of fixes and support for IE6. [Editor's Note: This update has been released on 30 April 2009.] In the near future we’re going to add localization, and for our next major release we plan on adding a bunch of new and exciting features!

mynetx: Like?

Siebe: Haha, I don’t want to spoil the surprise

mynetx: Not even a small hint? (A)

Siebe: Okay, but a really small one: Flexibility. Make of it what you want (-;

mynetx: And finally, what’s the Live-related project you’re currently working on?

Siebe: Outside of work you mean, or?

mynetx: Yes!

Siebe: Haha, um, currently I (unfortunately) don’t really have a project going on.. But I hope to come up with some crazy new cool idea soon

mynetx: Okay, be sure to ping me then…

Siebe: Certainly will do.

mynetx: Anyways, thanks that you took these minutes to discuss Windows Live and You with me!

Siebe: No problem, I’m looking forward to the remaining interviews you have in store for us

mynetx: Nice that you got some time to talk with me about Windows Live and You.
To begin, please describe yourself and your connection with Windows Live, in one sentence.

Bram: I’m a fervent user of Adium on my Mac, but when i’m not on my Mac I always use Windows Live Messenger in combination with Messenger Plus! Live.

mynetx: So you’re “only” a normal Messenger user?

Bram: When not on Mac, I’m a user of Windows Live Messenger with Plus!.

mynetx: What is your favorite feature in Messenger?

Bram: Just the Chat function.

mynetx: No special needs?

Bram: No, most favorite things are in Plus!.

mynetx: And looking to the other Windows Live Programs and Web services, what function do you like most in one of them?

Bram: Windows Live SkyDrive, the way of having a on-line hard drive.

mynetx: Do you use it much?

Bram: I use it daily.

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

Bram: Not really anything. I want a Messenger for Mac who is similar to Windows Live Messenger.

mynetx: Good idea! Do you think Microsoft will realize this?

Bram: The Windows Live Team is not the Mactopia team, so Messenger gets developed by two different teams … so I don’t think it comes; however I hope it!

mynetx: And, what do you guess the Windows Live Team might add in Wave 4?

Bram: I hope the signature sounds from WLM 14 Beta come back in Windows Live Messenger with Wave 4… Together with a good Windows Live Web Messenger.

mynetx: Let’s have a look at your personal usage. Are you running Messenger 24/7? Maybe you’ve got kind of a daily routine with Windows Live.

Bram: I’m not using it 24/7 … but I use it daily, on Mac and on Windows.

mynetx: And when did you start using Windows Live products? Tell me a bit about your history.

Bram: I use since the start of Windows Live.

mynetx: And before?

Bram: MSN services! But that was only MSN.com, MSN Hotmail and MSN Messenger. More services I did not know.

mynetx: You got any tip on using Messenger better, that not all people might know?

Bram: My tip is the thing about Messenger for Mac – they must pay as much attention to it as to Windows Live Messenger.

mynetx: I am asking for a tip for the users, not the developers…

Bram: Oh

Bram: Use Messenger Plus! Live, it can make your WLM visually better… Good tip?

mynetx:

Bram: In combination with Plus! VRT Radiospeler

mynetx: And finally, what part of beta testing is most interesting for you?

Bram: Helping to make the program better so users can get most out of it…

mynetx: Do you think your reports and suggestions within the beta programs you are participating in, are considered?

Bram: I hope (laugh).

mynetx: Great! Nice that you took the time to discuss your position in the Windows Live network – Windows Live and You. Thanks!

mynetx: Nice that you got some minutes to talk with me about Windows Live and You. To get started, please describe yourself and your connection with Windows Live, in one sentence.

Will: Well my name is Will Ingles, I am known in the community for my work in customizing the Messenger user interface with skins.

mynetx: Skins – good word. Is customizing the Messenger interface fun for you? Or a serious business? Or in between?

Will: Well a bit of both really. Originally I started skinning as a hobby so that I could help improve my abilities as a multimedia designer. I was hoping that by working with an established user interface I would be able to gain a deeper understanding as to how the user interprets UI’s.

I never really expected to be doing it for that much mainly because I didn’t think that audience was big enough at the time. But it seems that has changed in recent times so now I do treat it more seriously.

But yeah for the most part there is still the original sense of fun which attracted me to doing it in the first place.

mynetx: To be honest I don’t think you would put that effort into your skins if it was just “work” for you.

What is your favorite feature in Messenger?

Will: My favorite feature in Messenger, and I know a lot of people out there would disagree, would be PhotoShare. Although in its current state it is still a bit tedious to get used to, there is a lot of potential in the feature to make it work more seamlessly with Messenger.

Just the fact that you can have a large preview of an image you want to send is a big step forward. I am looking forward to see what else Microsoft does with this as this is only the first iteration of it.

mynetx: And what could be the next steps in this iteration?

Will: Well, at the moment one of the main complaints of PhotoShare is the fact that you have to have your window maximized to be able to see the larger photos. The next logical step to improving PhotoShare would be adding the ability to zoom into the image, that way you can explore photos with fine detail and not always having to have your window covering the full screen.

Microsoft could also add some integration with some of the social networks where you could select an album you have on your Facebook page and have that display rather than have to load every single image. There are lots of possibilities, that is why I think it’s a feature to keep an eye on in the future.

mynetx: Let’s see what the Windows Live Team improves with PhotoShare in Wave 4! By the way, what is the thing you’d love most to be added in Messenger?

Will: Well seeing as though I am skinner, it would no doubt have to be skins. While Microsoft did kind of ease the need with scenes, it still isn’t really enough. Every person is different and they have different tastes when it comes to how they want a product to look. You can see this when you ask people whether or not they like the look of the new Windows Live Messenger, you will get people who like it and people who hate it. It is impossible to cater for everyone’s tastes, but it would be good if the ability was there for people to make their interface from their own experiences.

Scenes can only offer so much, while skins offer a more rich and immersive user experience. The best example would be with some of the advanced shaped skins which are offered by the Messenger Plus! community, there is no way that scenes could ever take the user experience that far.

What I would love to see would be a community for like what already exists for Windows Media Player, where people are free to make their own plugins and skins without any real restrictions. That would really be great.

mynetx: And do you think this will be added in Windows Live Wave 4?

Will: Sadly its highly unlikely, Microsoft does not really add any high levels of customization in their products because the market for it is really small. People who customize their user interfaces are generally enthusiasts who form a small percentage of their user base. While the demand is starting to increase, it still isn’t enough for Microsoft to make any real effort to add something like this in. Which is sad I think because generally it is the enthusiasts who recommend products to the general public so it isn’t really a good move to ignore them entirely. I suppose the best way to get this feature to become a reality would be to get as many people you know interested in customizing their Messenger and continuously nag Microsoft. Who knows they might give in one day. Until people will just have to settle for what us skinners make.

mynetx: Skins with Messenger Plus!. Or what?

Will: Yes, skins with Messenger Plus! There are the old DLL patching skins but those are becoming more and more rare these days. This is mainly to do with the fact the Patchou has made the skin developing process much much easier with Messenger Plus! and also due to the changes Microsoft made with Messenger 2009 which nearly gave customizers a heart attack.

mynetx: Well, we don’t know the reason for Microsoft switching over to the binary interface format (known as UIB). Mind having a guess nevertheless?

Will: We will never know the real reasoning behind the change, but I like to think it was a performance thing. Messenger 2009 does have a few new visual effects and those would have probably caused the old system some trouble. There were only so many effects you could have happening with the old UI system before you got weird graphical glitches occurring on screen. With Messenger 2009 there isn’t any of these weird glitches happening – at least that I have noticed anyway.

mynetx: Moving away from our focus on Messenger, which feature of other programs / web services do you like most?

Will: One of the things that has caught my attention was the ability to create fan pages on Facebook. I think this is pretty cool because it gives people such as independent artists, designer or even customizers like my self the ability to have a spot on a site with millions of users and be able to grow an audience from it.

It also allows you to interact with the people you want to please the most, your users. Also just how all the web services are beginning to integrate with one another is good to see as well. We are moving away from how things were a few years ago where networks were isolated.

mynetx: And what about the other Windows Live services?

Will: Windows Live Mail is one of the other products that I enjoy using. It’s simple and I can have all my mail accounts in the one place, the integration with the other Windows Live products is a bonus as well.

I haven’t really toyed with things like Movie Maker and Writer but I have seen some of my younger relatives playing with some of these and they seem to enjoy themselves so Microsoft is doing their job.

mynetx: Heh. So if you’re focusing, besides Mail, only on Messenger, are you running it 24/7? Maybe you’ve got kind of a daily routine.

Will: I have Messenger running the majority of the time, even if I am busy doing work. Because of the nature of work I do, there are a lot of times where I ask the opinion of my friends on the particular thing I am working on.

It is always good to see things from someone else’s point of view, it makes you a better designer if you consider as many aspects of a project as possible.

It has gotten to the point where Messenger is part of my daily routine. Just because of the convenience of being able to access anywhere I am. It’s really one of the best forms of communication there is today.

mynetx: I’m sure you’ve got a breaking tip for an “aha” effect. Give me a Messenger tip you consider precious.

Will: The best tip I can offer is to go through the options menu and file menus in Messenger. There is a lot of functionality there that a lot of people miss. Often I get skin requests to add certain things and what people don’t realize is that it is already all there. You just have to look for it. That, and: ignore any URLs with your email in it.

Seems to be a common trap these days.

mynetx: Or nickname as subdomain, hmm?

Will: Yes hehe, just follow that rule and you should be fine!

mynetx: And finally, what’s the Live-related project you’re currently working on?

Will: At the moment I am currently working a few skin projects. The main one I am working on is a skin called Phunk’n. I created it last year and the response I received from it was really great. I get numerous emails and messages asking me to update it so I finally gave in and decided to update it.

It is probably one of my best designs and I am extremely proud of it. I am also playing with a few ideas here and there for a new original skin design but that won’t come for a while.

mynetx: I’m sure people will like what you create. Do you think?

Will: Well I hope so hehe so far it looks like I have been doing things right.

mynetx: Wonderful!

I find it great that you took the time to talk with me about Windows Live and You. Thanks for your time!

Will: Thanks, it was my pleasure.

In this first post of my new series, I am asking you:

• What do you want to read in “Windows Live and You”?
• Is there anything personal you would like to ask the Official Windows Live guys?
• What are you interested in, concerning Windows Live?

Help me fill THE BIG “?” with life – Windows Live and You!