MSN Messenger in Windows 9x Operating Systems. The login screen is slightly different in Windows XP versions. MSN Messenger is an instant messaging client for Windows and Mac OS computers (officially, but can be run on virtually any computer with an Internet connection, see Third-party clients), aimed mainly at home users. The business oriented client, which also uses Microsoft's .NET Messenger Service is called Windows Messenger. There are services to use MSN Messenger on the mobile phone called MSN Mobile.
Users require a Microsoft Passport to connect to the service. The major use of the software is for instant messaging. Messages can be enlivened with graphical emoticons.
Other features which now come as standard include voice conversations, support for webcams, transferring files and built in multi-user online games such as patience.
Version 6 emphasized the ability to customise the software, with personalised backgrounds, emoticons and display pictures. There is also a large community of third-party developers who have created addons to extend the capabilities of the program.
The most recent version, as of 3rd Dec 2004, is version 7.0.0425 BETA. This version supports features like winks previously only a Three Degrees feature. However, the version has weaknesses including MSN wanting to sell you display pictures, emoticons and more.
In August 2004 MSN introduced a browser-based version of the MSN Messenger client which can be used on any computer that can access the internet.
Games
- Solitaire Showdown
- MSN Messenger 6 contains this game (in the Launch Site/Fun & Games menu), based on the original Solitaire in Windows. It is online, 2 player, and features 2 decks. Each player must race to put their cards on the shared pile (e.g. putting an ace of any suit on the pile, but putting 2's of a suit may only be possible after the ace of the suit is currently on the pile, not covered by any other cards).
- Checkers
- A standard two-player game of checkers.
- Bejeweled
- A two-player game where pairs of jewels on a playfield are switched to arrange three or more in a line of the same colour therefore removing them from the game. It is played in real time and individually, with scores being compared at the end.
- Minesweeper Flags
- In a twist on the original game, players must now locate mines and whoever has found the most by the end wins. If you find a mine you get to continue, otherwise it becomes your opponent's turn. Players get the one-off option to "bomb" a 5x5 area, and get all the mines in that area.
Protocol
MSN Messenger uses the Mobile Status Notification Protocol (MSNP) over TCP (and optionally over HTTP to deal with proxies). Its current version is 11 (MSNP11), used by MSN Messenger version 7.0 and many other third-party clients. The protocol is not completely secret: Microsoft disclosed version 2 (MSNP2) to developers in 1999 in an Internet Draft, but never released versions 8, 9, 10 or 11 to the public. MSN servers currently only accept protocol versions from 8 and on, so the syntax of new commands from versions 8, 9, 10 and 11 is only known by using sniffers like Ethereal.
See also
External links
- MSN Messenger Problems (http://www.msn-problems.com) - Database of MSN Messenger problems with solutions
- Mess with MSN Messenger (http://www.mess.be) - A fansite with news, add-ons and tools
- MSN Web Messenger (http://webmessenger.msn.com) - Browser-based version of MSN Messenger
- Removing MSN Messenger (http://www.richardsramblings.com/archives/2002/11/000278.html)
- ilovemessenger (http://ilovemessenger.msn.com) - Official Microsoft site with backgrounds, display pictures, and emoticons
- msnfanatic (http://www.msnfanatic.com) - Technical MSN Messenger Web site with news, programming info, software, etc.
- Hypothetic (http://www.hypothetic.org/docs/msn/) MSN Protocol analysis
- MSNPiki (http://msnpiki.msnfanatic.com/) (unofficial) MSN protocol wiki
Official clients
Add-ons (Windows)
Third-party clients
- Kopete (http://kopete.kde.org/) (Linux only)
- Adium (http://www.adiumx.com/) (Mac-only)
- aMSN (http://amsn.sourceforge.net/) (cross-platform)
- Easy Message (http://www.easymessage.net/) (Windows-only)
- Gaim (http://gaim.sourceforge.net/) (cross-platform)
- KMerlin (http://kmerlin.olsd.de/) (cross-platform)
- Mercury (http://www.mercury.to/) (cross-platform)
- Miranda IM (http://www.miranda-im.org/) (Windows-only)
- Proteus (http://www.proteusx.com/) (Mac-only)
- Trillian (http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/) (Windows-only)
Third-party web clients
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