Last days, I promised a new, user-centered series “Windows Live and You”, featuring interviews with people in the Windows Live business as well as articles on the daily impact of Windows Live. I’ve decided to begin this series with an interview of Gregory Sampson, who is… – but let’s ask him himself.
mynetx: It’s great that you got some minutes to talk with me about Windows Live and You. To start over, please describe yourself and your connection with Windows Live, in one sentence.
Gregory: Hello, I am Gregory Sampson, an ex-Beta tester for Windows Live Messenger 8.0 through 9.0. It has been an honor testing and using Windows Live Services, as a whole.
mynetx: What is your favorite feature in Messenger?
Gregory: Everything, I use about every feature in Windows Live Messenger. The best of them all is being able to connect with everyone on my Contact List smoothly and easily.
mynetx: And what do you like most in Windows Live at all?
Gregory: SkyDrive and Photo Gallery, utterly amazing innovations by Microsoft. Oh, and Live Mesh.
Gregory: I do certainly use SkyDrive to make online backup of my current data, indeed the web space is insufficient, but is efficient enough for a free solution.
I use Photo Gallery to organize my photos and images in an orderly manner.
mynetx: Wow, an all-round user :D. What is the thing you’d love most to be added to Messenger?
Gregory: Tabbed chatting, an enormously useful feature. I would love to send a massive shoutout to Patchou for making an amazing add-on, Messenger Plus! Live, for Windows Live Messenger, to add many of the extra amazing features to Messenger, as well as tabbed chatting. Would be neat if Microsoft added it in it’s core code, as then people will not see the need to install external software to achieve what they would want to have, with all due respect to all the software developers, especially Patchou and Matt.
mynetx: Do you think this feature will be added in Windows Live Wave 4?
Gregory: I do certainly hope, let’s see what the people in charge have got to say. Angus, hear me? 😛
mynetx: Heh ;).
Running Messenger 24/7? Maybe you’ve got kind of a daily routine with Windows Live.
Gregory: Well, close to 24/7, but it is pretty much a daily routine. I cannot imagine myself living without internet, let alone all the Windows Live services that are put forward to be used by everyone.
mynetx: Seamless online presence, hmm?
Gregory: Yep.
mynetx: Since when are you in the Live business? Tell me a bit about your history.
Gregory: Back in 2006, I got a “Troubleshooting” message from Messenger 7.5 while attempting to sign in. Therefore, I went to the help section on their website and checked for the given error code, it mentioned something about WLM 8.0. I was in complete astonishment and hype for a new Messenger version. Since then, I started Googling around and trying to find some more information, until I stumbled upon http://ideas.live.com/ and http://connect.microsoft.com. I signed up for both sites. I was a Closed Beta tester for WLM 8.0 and was a Managed Beta tester for WLM 8.5 and 9.0.
Gregory: This is how I got to know about all the Windows Live products, starting from WLM 8.0, then spreading my wings and sight to the other products at hand.
mynetx: Back in 2006? Pretty long…
Gregory: Yes, sir. 😉 But it was worth it after all.
mynetx: Nice to hear!
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 🙂
Gregory: :-O! Utterly interesting question. I get that effect when three people sign in: Pamela, my best friend; Lance Manasse, a WL Butterfly known since 2006–a very dear friend, he is–; and yourself, mynetx, my second best friend. 🙂 This is when I most get excited to use Messenger excessively, to talk to y’all.
mynetx: Heh. Any suggestion for average Messenger users on doing something that not everybody knows?
Gregory: Try out Windows Live People, similar to Facebook, but has a neater UI. Avoid the scam links that are sent, and be utterly careful when entering your credentials in random sites that you do not know much about.
mynetx: (Y). And finally, why do you do beta testing and engage in the Windows Live Community nowadays?
Gregory: See, in reality, people usually think less of me because I have physical discomfort. Therefore, I tend to prove the opposite and show them that I can do more, I can make a difference, I can be successful, thus I do happily enjoy helping Microsoft with the improvement of their software. 🙂
mynetx: Wonderful! I appreciate it very much that you took your time to talk with me about Windows Live and You. Thanks!
Gregory: You’re most welcome, sir. 🙂