A Chat about Messenger

Article
11/12/2007

Hi, my name is Anav and I work on the Messenger for Mac product in Mac BU. I follow the blog and newsgroup comments out there and I know there are questions on the status of Messenger for Mac, and more specifically the status of Audio/Video (AV) support. It’s been a while since we’ve given you an update on Messenger, so here it goes…

First, let me start by saying, Messenger for Mac is alive and well and we plan to continue investing in the application. In August we released Messenger for Mac 6.0.3, which introduced support for Danish, Finnish, and Norwegian languages. Messenger for Mac 6.0.3 is also the version that will ship with Office 2008. A couple of weeks ago we kicked off a closed beta program of Messenger for Mac 7.0 for corporate customers*, and made great progress in the implementation of AV in Messenger for Mac.

You might recall the Mac Mojo blog post on this topic a while back ("Messenger: haves and hA/Ve nots"), we shared with you some details on the technical challenges involved in delivering AV in Messenger for Mac. Just to recap, Messenger for Mac supports both the Corporate service (Office Communications Server) and Personal service (Windows Live Service). Messenger for Mac is adopting the AV stack (protocol) that is being used by Office Communications Server (OCS). Windows Live Messenger is also currently adopting that same AV stack. This is great for Messenger for Mac since it enables us to adopt one single AV stack to be used in both services, Personal and Corporate.

OK, that’s the short recap of what we shared with you previously (I recommend reading the blog post for the long version), now on to a status of where we are. We have hit the first major milestone toward AV for all by successfully implementing AV for the Corporate service in the Messenger for Mac 7.0 beta. This is a closed beta program offered to organizations deploying OCS 2007 and is aligned with the Unified Communications products launch that took place October 2007. In our previous blog post we mentioned that you will see the AV solution on Corporate service before Personal, and so we are on track with that plan.

The AV solution for the Corporate service is really cool. I’m dogfooding the feature at work and I’m using a video conversation with co-workers using Office Communicator on Windows. Even better, I’m chatting with MacBU co-workers like Akiko (who works in Japan), Eric (who works in Ireland) and Rebecca (who works in Atlanta) -- and finally I see what they look like! ☺. Sorry to be teasing you here, but trust me when I tell you, we can’t wait to deliver AV in both Corporate and Personal Messenger that you can all use as well.

That leads to the next question – "what about AV for the Personal service?" Since we’ve successfully implemented AV for Corporate service, and the AV stack we are using is being adopted right now by Windows Live Messenger, that means we are that much closer to having an AV solution on Personal service. However, we’re not there yet. To ensure compatibility between Windows Live Messenger and Messenger for Mac, we have to wait until Windows Live Messenger completes their transition to the new AV stack before we can deliver this on our end. This leads us to the topic of why it is we have all these dependencies…

One of the most important goals for product development in Mac BU is making sure that the products we deliver work cross platform. Since Messenger is a real-time communication solution, enabling users to communicate cross-platform is very important. To accomplish this, the protocols used by the Mac and Windows programs have to be the same. Hence, the dependencies… The good news is that Windows Live Messenger has made great progress on the integration of the new AV stack in to their system. Unfortunately, we can’t give you a specific time frame in which you will see a Messenger for Mac release with AV for the Personal service. However, we can say that it is definitely in progress.

So you may be wondering what the Messenger for Mac team is up to in the mean time… well, aside from vacationing on a deserted island (just kidding)… The serious answer is that we are working very hard to complete the AV work for the Corporate service for the next version, as well as helping out the Office for Mac team to deliver Office 2008.

For those of you who are patiently waiting, I just want to say thank you for your patience and bear with us a little longer as the work is in progress and hopefully it will be worth the wait. It will be pretty priceless to see family, friends, and co-workers sending you a real smile through a video conversation in addition to the smiley emoticon through IM…

* Messenger for Mac Corporate beta program is a closed beta and offered to selected enterprise organizations. For more information about this beta program please contact your Microsoft Account Manager.

Comments

Anonymous
November 12, 2007
Okay, I understand that we have to wait for the WLM chance their AV stacks to release a messenger with video for mac, but why not release a version NOW with other features, like Winks, or add animated emotions from disk or any of the other features that WLM offers for its windows users? If you give us just that, i'm sure we would be more willing to wait until the video/audio feature came...
Anonymous
November 12, 2007
Thanks for at least telling us what is going on. I'm definitely less mad than I was before. Transparency is a good thing! If only Apple could do it....
Anonymous
November 12, 2007
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Anonymous
November 12, 2007
It is ironic to me that one of the most powerful companies in the world cannot instantly change these things to work with one another. Such a simple problem, but its taken you HOW LONG to fix it, and you still haven't. It seems to me like this is more about selling copies of Windows than making a good product for macintosh. I really do not believe that Microsoft could not have made audio/video work at the same time they made it work on windows. Now it could be that the Mac BU is underfunded? I don't know. But either way, if this isn't the issue, this is the message Microsoft is sending to a lot of Mac users.
Anonymous
November 12, 2007
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Anonymous
November 12, 2007
Ok, but will you still update messenger for mac v.6.0.x? I mean, it still does not have basic features like automatically reconnect on disconnection, can't add custom nickname for buddies, no avatar preview on contact list. I think those are really simple features to add, isn't it?
Anonymous
November 12, 2007
Biel: I was just about to post the same comment. If the MBU would just keep the Mac-version up to par with WLM, there would be so many satisfied people - especially in Europe. The A/V-part can wait, but a nice GUI-refreshment and the same features as WLM would help a lot. Just a tip, MBU...
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
Any plans to add offline messaging in upcoming Mac Messenger release?
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
Calling an excuse a reason doesn't make it any better. Microsoft Messenger for Mac is 6.0 was released after Windows Live Messenger 8.0 final. Mac users have lacked feature parity for almost two years now. All this post does is give another excuse for why Microsoft is treating Mac users like second-class citizens. Should there be any trust left? Should we actually believe that WLM will update the AV stack any time soon, or will they choose another option altogether, leaving us waiting again? In the end, the only thing keeping me waiting is that I have no other option. Microsoft monopolizes the WLM protocols, and that's the software people I instant message use. Let's be honest, Microsoft wants us all using Windows instead, and this is just another tactic.
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
what about nudges, offline messages and msn games.
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
If you get this program to do Audio/Video... why not get it to do EXACTLY what the PC version does !
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
I use to be on PC and I can't get internnet Explorer because Mac does not have it. Please tell me if there is an alltentive. I need Internet Explorer to play the games withmy friends.
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
Can anyone at all give me any kind of indication why I can't sign in to Windows Live using Messenger 6.0.3? All I get is a message about my Mac not being connected to the internet, and then nothing. Adium logs in fine so... help? And no, I really don't want to use Adium...
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
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Anonymous
November 13, 2007
yeah but when will you expose its guts so it can work with iChat, the real Mac IM client.
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
"It will be pretty priceless to see family, friends, and co-workers sending you a real smile through a video conversation in addition to the smiley emoticon through IM…" Yeah, we've been doing that with iChat for years now. Or with skype for those poor souls who still use PC's. You guys have a knack for making a completely old idea sound like an innovation when its your turn to finally catch up and release a product... or should I say product announcement.
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
I got our Microsoft PL to get our Microsoft AM to get us into the TAP program (or we were already in it) and I know I missed the deadline (October 26th) but I submitted my survey. I beg you to get me in; I am the Lead Voice Engineer for our Unified Communications Practice and currently deploy all Cisco UC.
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
Somehow Yahoo manages to keep up on both Windows and OS X. In fact, their development on OS X is positively fast! Are Mac BU coders just inferior to their Yahoo counterparts? I know you guys are talented, but COME ON, Yahoo is way ahead of you; and even the way over priced (what eBay paid) and over-hyped (OMG FREE CALLS TO MARS 4EVA) Skype is just leaps and bounds ahead of Messenger for Mac. SKYPE! I think people would take slightly buggy new software at this point instead of the no-progress current. Let's see some real action guys! Thanks.
Anonymous
November 13, 2007
Nice to hear that you actually are implementing video on Mac-Messenger. That would break barriers between mac and pc-users and this world would again be a little better place to live.
Anonymous
November 14, 2007
I think it's funny how we have to wait for WLM... i mean, those guys get betas and updates all the time... and we so far got the UB update... and that was it... no improvements... And wasn't just released WLM 8.5 like a week ago??? I mean, come on... now we have to wait until WLM 9??? is that a joke? U've been saying that you were gonna improve Messenger for Mac for a long time now.. and so far nothing was done.. no winks, no offline messaging, no games, no nudge, no preview photos in the contact list and the list goes on and on.. It would be really really appreciated if u released a Messenger for Mac 6.5 with all those features. WE CAN WAIT FOR THE AV STUFF IF U GUYS GIVES US SOMETHING TO PLAY WITH NOW!
Anonymous
November 14, 2007
this makes me laugh.... APPLE DEVELOPED LEOPARD while you are still trying to develop this "i doubt it will ever come true" messenger for mac... i mean, come on.. u been saying that AV is coming for Mac for over a year now... all we can do is laugh so... hahahahhahahahahahha
Anonymous
November 14, 2007
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Anonymous
November 14, 2007
So even beyond January 2008 we're stuck with Messenger 6.0.3, which features a great set of UI bugs and inconsistencies on Mac OS X Leopard? Not to mention the fair share of stability issues it faces on the new operating system as well. It really is beyond believe that the Mac BU is unable to find the time to at least address these issues before shipping Office 2008. I'm willing to bet money on the fact that fixing at least some of the UI inconsistencies (like the font/emoticon buttons) would take less time than what you wasted on creating that banner at the top of this article. Like people mentioned earlier Yahoo! manages to come up with a pretty decent client on both Windows and Mac OS X. Is it really that hard to follow suit?
Anonymous
November 14, 2007
What about more seamless interoperability between Office for Windows and Office for Mac? I can't stand having formatting issues between the two. And also, can you guys have a Windows/Mac keyboard shortcut features on the Mac Office? I don't like Apples archaic keyboard shortcut structure and if you do create that feature, its much easier for Windows or Linux users because the keyboard shortcuts are more similar to the Mac. Outlook for the Mac would be a reason to remove Windows off my Mac. I hate Safari, and there's Firefox and Firefox doesn't work well on my Intel Mac, ever thought of bringing back Internet Explorer for the Mac? And please fix the stupid formatting issues that goes with the Mac and Windows platforms, which I am having lots of trouble today. Signed Enterprise Mac User
Anonymous
November 14, 2007
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Anonymous
November 15, 2007
I hope we don't have to wait for WLM9, 'cause the final versione is due end of '08, beginning of '09.
Anonymous
November 15, 2007
Thank you for the very informative low content update! I look forward to your future updates "Cleaners enter the MacBU office whilst we're on messenger" and how can I NOT want to read: "Messenger runs on computers, so you can take a bath whilst its running!" Seriously if your not going to bother updating with any useful information, if you're just going to rehash old promises (A/V next edition, we promise!) then just don't post about it at all. I'm liking the look of Mac Office 2008 but seriously "we're working very hard!" is not what I want to read. Dates, Capabilites are some of the things that most would be happy to read about, but seriously one more "Ok we're working on it but we wont really tell you much" post and you may as well scrap messenger and let the adium guys develop a real client unhampered.
Anonymous
November 15, 2007
Ummm Adium anyone????
Anonymous
November 15, 2007
Why are you filtering these posts anyways? By filtering the posts, you are covering up the fact that we can't trust Office '08, because there isn't any real concrete info on crossplatform abilities. If you keep filtering the posts, the more I am not going to trust the Mac BU. Luckily, I have Fusion and XP with Office '03 so I won't be complaining that much, although I would like a REAL MS Office for the Mac.
Anonymous
November 15, 2007
Why don't we make a list of features, excluding A/V support, that could be easily developed making Messenger:Mac users a little bit happier than now (maybe with a 6.0.4 release):

Support for offline messages
Emoticons' preview after you've typed them
View avatars in contact list
Adding custom nickname for buddies
Auto reconnection after a disconnection
"Add user to this conversation" should be boxed [sorry, i've translated it from the italian version, don't know if in english it is literally the same]
Growl notifications (come on guys, also yahoo uses them :D)
Fix weird emoticons and text button

Anonymous
November 16, 2007
What we really need is Entourage to sync notes & tasks and basically work as a full Exchange client. That is "priceless", to quote the MasterCard adds. The value I put on Messenger? Exactly zero, free. Same price as for Skype, which I've found to be a remarkable and incredibly useful application that does all of this. You guys have a core Exchange franchise to protect here. I seriously am going to migrate OFF Exchange if we don't get a full-featured Mac client. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying Skype. You should try it. It rocks. Might even help your dev team get an Exchange client to us in time for launch.
Anonymous
November 17, 2007
Guys, I actually look forward to Messenger, despite the cynical comments I'm reading about. If you're also part of the Office team, COMPATIBILITY with the Windows side is so key, I think, to making Office sellable to the Mac crowd. Just my 2 cents.
Anonymous
November 17, 2007
Thanks for the update. Clients are constantly asking me about AV for MSFT and YHOO Messengers so it is good to know why they cannot chat with their Windows friends and grandkids (and to be able to tell them that MSFT at least is working on it). I can appreciate the backend business and that you folks are doing what you can. Have fun!
Anonymous
November 18, 2007
make it possible to add nicknames
Anonymous
November 19, 2007
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Anonymous
November 19, 2007
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Anonymous
November 20, 2007
integration with parent control!!?
Anonymous
November 20, 2007
This is all very well and good, but stating that you're waiting for the Windows Live Messenger team to 'finish', is very similar to saying that you won't ever be doing anything. WLM v9 Beta invites are allready being sent out - they're racing away from you, and you're telling us you have to wait for them! I appreciate that the Mac community may not be a priority for Microsoft, but you're either making Messenger for Mac - and doing it well, or not doing at all - in which case stop breaking compatibility for alternative messenger software!
Anonymous
November 21, 2007
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Anonymous
November 22, 2007
I'm pretty sure most of us understand that you have to wait for the implementation of the new A/V technology in WLM9 - but releasing 6.0.3 with Office 2008 is impossible. It simply cannot be done! It is clear that the final version of Messenger 7.0 has to wait for WLM9 - so a 6.1 or even a 6.5 version has to be delivered with the new shiny Office 2008! Above mentioned features and bug fixes have to be included. 6.0.3 even has tremendous problems showing display pictures...
Anonymous
November 24, 2007
Sorry, I'm not waiting. I'm setting up our entire extended family to video chat with our grandparents/parents. We will NOT be using Microsoft Messenger. I'm on a mac and if I can't use it, no one will sign up. You must realize that once we get everyone signed up and working on another application, no one will ever be looking to switch. Good luck with your update.
Anonymous
November 24, 2007
Why use messenger?? Its fairly basic...There are other programs that host audio and video. If you use a mac...forget about microsoft as it would appear you get treated second rate!
Anonymous
November 25, 2007
Why use Messenger, John? Simply because 95% of your friends and work mates use it... most of them on Windows. They won't switch to Yahoo! or AOL or any other app as nearly noone is using them!
Anonymous
November 26, 2007
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Anonymous
November 26, 2007
comeone guys. stop complaining. after all WE HAVE SPELL CHECK! spare me.
Anonymous
November 26, 2007
Until Microsoft Messenger has A/V (audio is my most important one), I will continue to use Skype. Plus, the Windows Live Messenger call quality is horrible. I hope the new A/V stack fixes that. About the customisable winks and emoticons, why don't we have that either? Plus, Microsoft, sync the features from Windows to Mac. We are not only corporate users, eh? A lot of people who use Microsoft Messenger are also students, and kids. All we care on Windows Live is how to have fun! Windows Live Messenger reflects that, so why not Microsoft Messenger? Microsoft Messenger looks like a dull boring business messenging client sometimes.
Anonymous
November 26, 2007
To stop the worst moaning (or at least halt it for a while), Anav, why don't you post a few shiny screenshots of the Messenger 7 Beta? Or, at least, give us a list of the new features that are coming up! :)
Anonymous
November 27, 2007
So... WLM 9 beta is up and running... WHERE IS THE MESSENGER FOR MAC BETA? Or are u guys waiting for them to finish WLM 9 to start building Messenger for Mac??? And what about other features... are we getting any?? Here's some screen shots of WLM 9 in case you haven't seen it yet http://n-blue.nblogz.net/wlm-95-beta-build-9014071107/ hahaha
Anonymous
November 28, 2007
Biel... you missed the part above where Anav says "A couple of weeks ago we kicked off a closed beta program of Messenger for Mac 7.0 for corporate customers..." We can only hope there will be a public beta soon!
Anonymous
November 28, 2007
Yes. And in case no body knows WLM 9.0 is schedule for end of 2008 or Start of 2009. That means we have to wait another 1 - 2 years for Mac Messenger 7.0
Anonymous
November 29, 2007
its great that you guys are finally working on adding a/v capabilities to msn. It's good to know that you have programers being paid to work on this. However, I want to point out that there is a group of programmers in Public school, with the leader in a Grammar School that have written an alternative that runs your version into the dust. So tell me how kids in Grammar School have written an IM program that has nudges, Video Support, avatars, etc., where your programmers have failed? I'm sorry, but amsn is a far better effort than what you guys have put out.
Anonymous
November 29, 2007
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Anonymous
November 29, 2007
@Ed. Where do you get your sources saying WLM 9.0 is for late 2008-early 2009? I would like to know. I haven't dug up any credible sources saying that it's planned for that timeframe. I hope that's not the case.
Anonymous
November 30, 2007
MacManX, I know they said that "A couple of weeks ago we kicked off a closed beta program of Messenger for Mac 7.0 for CORPORATE customers...".. but they also said that for the for PERSONAL customers "we have to wait until Windows Live Messenger completes their transition to the new AV stack before we can deliver this on our end." And that's my point. WLM9 already has a beta floating around the web.. so what are the MacBU waiting to start developing for personal clients? Shouldn't they do it together?? or at least collaborating with each other? If the AV stacks weren't finished, they would not have a BETA out....
Anonymous
November 30, 2007
deltatux Seems pretty clear to me: http://www.justatopic.com/2007/11/messenger-9-gtalk-integration-messenger.html "Life and development at Microsoft", he spent the hour announcing a new Messenger API - "the Tech Preview will be released during MIX 08 and the Beta 1 will be released when WLMessenger 9 ships in late 08 or early 09"
Anonymous
December 02, 2007
No updates until 2009? That is of course totally unacceptable. I would like to hear (or read, rather) what Anav has to say about this...
Anonymous
December 02, 2007
If 95% of your friends use messenger, then use mercury, it will integrate with msn messenger + you get audio and video. not perfect i grant you but better than nothing love and peace man snipped *******Why use Messenger, John? Simply because 95% of your friends and work mates use it... most of them on Windows. They won't switch to Yahoo! or AOL or any other app as nearly noone is using them! ***********
Anonymous
December 02, 2007
@mytwocents ... thnx for the info.
Anonymous
December 03, 2007
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Anonymous
December 03, 2007
John, I tried Mercury, but it was so buggy I had to give it up. Currently I'm using aMSN whenever I need video and it works quite well. :)
Anonymous
December 04, 2007
Would Someone from MacBU have some response? Regarding the Late 08 release date for WLM 9
Anonymous
December 05, 2007
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Anonymous
December 05, 2007
MacManX, how do you get/send video with Mac MSN? Thanks...
Anonymous
December 05, 2007
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Anonymous
December 06, 2007
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Anonymous
December 06, 2007
I don't need microsoft Messenger... I use the Mercury messenger in my MAC and I have good video.
Anonymous
December 09, 2007
While it is a good thing that you posted an update to let people know what's going on, you're not telling anyone anything but excuses. The Microsoft Tax is apparently alive and well. And personally, I've given up on Microsoft delivering a product that clearly puts the consumer first. Based on what you said it appears that your team (like lots of others) put the corporate customer ahead of the general consumer. That's why more and more people are switching to Mac or Linux. Mac and Linux don't need to make that distinction between corporate customers and consumers. I don't even use the Messenger for Mac application. I use Adium. Why? Because Adium has never disconnected me or quit unexpectedly. Why did I download and install Adium? Because Messenger for Mac DID. A LOT. You guys have a chance to release a truly great product. The problem is - you won't. What do I base that on? Every other product Microsoft has ever released.
Anonymous
December 10, 2007
All this tech talk is a poor show at what is ultimately neglect for the mac platform. If Skype can implement video messaging as well as ichat, etc. then why has Microsoft / MSN taken oh sorry, taking, so long? Office 2008? The last iteration was 5 years ago!! Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. The rollout of MSN / Microsoft products for mac has been a joke and will further lead to increased Apple market share in software as well as hardware. Bitterly disappointing. I used to LOVE Entourage for mac, amazing program but now have shifted to MAIL...a real shame.
Anonymous
December 10, 2007
The leopard version of iChat is brilliant. It does plenty of interesting things and just works. We pay more money for our Macs because we get an all in one package, nice computer, great OS, useful packages etc etc. You pay £399 for a PC and what do you get...? You pay £799 for a state of the art iMac which is at the end of the day a computer that has everything you should ever need.
Anonymous
December 10, 2007
I'm sorry but I don't understand why Microsoft has so much troubles to propose audio and video chat on their Windows Live Messenger. Look at Skype or even aMSN, they succeeded where you're stucked for months. Audio and video is not so hard to build between a mac and a pc, the only barrier is the economic interest that Microsoft has in keeping a large advance on Apple with their Windows Live Messenger. But in long term, mac users will get bored of waiting and people will use another software.
Anonymous
December 10, 2007
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Anonymous
December 10, 2007
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Anonymous
December 10, 2007
I've been experiencing really slow transfer speeds when I send files to my friends, like 3kbps or lower. Receiving rates are just as slow. Anyone else also experiencing the same slow file transfers speeds? Any plans to improve the transfer speeds in the next installment, which i seriously hope will be much sooner...??
Anonymous
December 11, 2007
Jas, the aMSN team is using the OLD audio/video stack. WLM9 and hopefully the upcoming Mac client will use a NEW technology. The reason it's taking sp long is that they're not on entirely in sync - development wise. Why the old A/V technology wasn't implemented in previous Mac versions is anyone's guess. Read Anav's blog post and you'll get the picture... This thread is brimming with comments and suggestions - I really hope someone from the MacBU will address these questions soon!!
Anonymous
December 11, 2007
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Anonymous
December 11, 2007
Today, we're living in a world where software is playing a big role in day-to-day life. As some companies have delivered fast software development for years, we all came custom to that and expect no other. But sometimes it takes time to analyse what have been made, find existing problems and fix these things. Sorry to say on a MSDN site, but where they rewrote a lot of code for leopard to perform better, they should also have done this for Windows Vista. I still have to meet a happy Vista user, but it's even hard to find a normal Vista user because they all return to XP. With the announcement of a new Messenger (like if "Messenger" is patented by Microsoft) I am not happy. Don't get me wrong, I want to chat with friends on the microsoft-platform. But I don't like to "install" hundreds of applications because every brand has his own interpretation of how things should look and work. As OS X is the best commercial example of how extendable software works, it would be great to see that Microsoft wants to add to that. By writing the "add" word I am getting closer to the my best solution. An "Add-In" or a "Plug-In" for iChat should make our life much easier. We already know how to work with most of the excisting Apple app's. The look and feel are well known and the level of integration is what we know, like and starts to demand. With an add-in for iChat the BU team doesn't have to write a lot of code for the end-user screens, but can focus on the integration with the MSN protocol. I think and hope that most of the Apple users will be very happy to see MSN contact in their iChat software program, sync contact info to Adressbook and use that information in app's like Pages. That is what Mac:Messenger 7 should be, for me. The world of programmers must make a swich to provide software as additional functionality to excisting applications. I know this is already done, but it must grown more!
Anonymous
December 12, 2007
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Anonymous
December 13, 2007
You guys keep working and I find myself less and less Microsoft products and services. If Microsoft is serious about it's live initiative it better move faster to support the thousands of users switching from windows to Mac like myself. I have already in the process of moving from Hotmail to Gmail and from Live Messenger to Gtalk. A/V features, offline messages, RTL messaging, give us all the goodies the Windows Messenger got and perhaps we will stay.
Anonymous
December 13, 2007
Is nice to hear this great stuff , hope you can finish it soon so we Mac Users can enjoy the power of MSN x)!!.. Oh!.. what about nudges? or winks? or games? would be them in messenger 7?.. Thanks , and we hope you make a great product.
Anonymous
December 13, 2007
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Anonymous
December 17, 2007
Seems everyone forgets. Until recently, Apple's position on releasing Safari on other platforms was if you wanted Safari, buy a Mac. Safari was considered an OS X flagship app. With that in mind, what makes anyone think that Microsoft is even interested in making UB feature equivalent with WLM? This is marketing in its most common form. As a technician, I've seen this a lot in electronics, especially during the VCR days. Matsushita, for example, made VCRs under several brand names for various companies in addition to their own Panasonic brand. They made the OEM (read: non-Panasonic) brands with sub-standard parts in key places so those brands would fail before their own. I'm sure this translates very well into Microsoft's plan. "OK, we'll port Messenger to Mac, but the current Windows version will always be better." Better wait for WLM10 before you start counting on A/V for Mac.
Anonymous
December 17, 2007
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Anonymous
December 18, 2007
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Anonymous
December 23, 2007
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Anonymous
December 26, 2007
Andreas, I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but custom and animated emoticons already work in version 6 of the Messenger for Mac.
Anonymous
December 28, 2007
AV in Mac Messenger will be like Vista.... a dismal, delayed, buggy copy of something you have seen before, lacking in features and incompatible with everything you want it to work with! and whilst MS are wasting time everyone will have lost interest and switched...! MSN Video Chat ?..... use Skype Zune Music Player ?..... use iPods MS Office ?........ use OpenOfficeAqua Vista OS ?........ use OSX Don't get me wrong.... MBU produce some GREAT apps... but for a company with so much money you think they would be..... well..... better.
Anonymous
December 28, 2007
I understand the AV feature cannot be realized at this moment, but i'd like to see a new release providing offline messages, winks..etc, that already included in Windows release. And i find that there are some delivery issues among Mac release, i often miss the msgs left by my friends when i'm running Messenger for Mac, and abt days after, when i login to windows release, there is the msg showing on my screen! So, i really think that would be a must to release a transition build that fixing up known issues.
Anonymous
January 01, 2008
Can't wait for msn 7.0 to come out for mac. When in Jan will it be available?
Anonymous
January 02, 2008
Drew, if you read between the lines in the blog above that would be January 2009 I'm afraid. I just wish it would be released with Office 2008 - but that won't happen.
Anonymous
January 10, 2008
Please, please please release video chat. My whole family is on Windows Messenger seeing each other, and I can only text chat.
Anonymous
January 11, 2008
Thats all good but what about support for other items such as nudges, handwriting tool, winks and other features currently available for live users on windows?
Anonymous
January 25, 2008
Well, I'm glad to see Messenger is not dead. I've been using Adium for the past several years, as it is better than most other chat programs and can login to multiple clients. But it doesn't have video and probably never will. When Messenger gets video, I may switch to that for awhile to test it out, but I'm fairly certain I'll probably switch back to Adium eventually. Most people I know on Winblows use YahooIM. If Adium ever implements video chat, all other mac clients will die. Opening four different chat clients to talk to all my friends would be too annoying.
Anonymous
January 25, 2008
I really don't care about A/V. Nudges, voiceclips, winks and games are sufficient. Will you ever offer Portuguese language support? There are "just" 230 million speakers in the world.
Anonymous
January 27, 2008
After seeing great UI enhancements in Office '08, it's somewhat dissapointing to see Messenger doesn't seem to be going the same way if the Macworld screens are true. Drawers? A huuuuge Aqua button to send a message, what's with that? Why should a conversation window and contact list take so many pixels up? A/V imrovements are welcome however, hopefully the UI is improved before release.
Anonymous
January 29, 2008
Forget about A/V. Just get the simple things right first: What about nicknames for your contacts? Why on eart hasnt messenger included this feature? It's so so simple, and yet really annoying its not there. I'm really tired of contacts named "Hey there", "dec07899", "tireddog" and so on. I want to be able to rename them, at least locally, to understandable/indetifiable names like "Peter", "Tim", "Judy" and so on. Come on, mac BU. How hard can it be???
Anonymous
January 30, 2008
Does anybody believe this will happen before the end of the year? I am really encouraged by the message, yeah... but it's just a long way off...
Anonymous
January 30, 2008
The comment has been removed
Anonymous
February 01, 2008
I hate Microsoft, lets get the over first. Get on with it , All i have to say GET ON WITH IT Thank you Get A Mac
Anonymous
February 05, 2008
Just wondering when the new msn for mac will be available for people that use it for personal use. Is a date set yet? Thanks.

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