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6914708

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 14, 2003
304
0
Where is the update? There are TONS of new features in Windows 6.1 version. Yet us mac users still have 3.5 with terrible features. We are left way behind. I know for a fact that Apple updates itunes, and quicktime for windows, why doesn't Microsoft update msn messenger for mac? Any news?

Kurt
_
 

NarKEd

macrumors member
Jan 16, 2004
61
28
oh yea that sucks. thats why Im goint to start programming software myself and mac apps will never be behind the windows ones again
 

bousozoku

Moderator emeritus
Jun 25, 2002
15,607
1,763
Lard
Updating MSN Messenger for Mac only costs Microsoft money. They don't gain anything from it--they might lose a little loathing though.

iTunes is updated because Apple wants to sell iPods to Windows users. QuickTime is updated because it keeps the film and t.v. industry interested in Apple and it keeps an alternative to Windows Media Player active.

At least, Messenger works much better than it did prior to 3.x.
 

NarKEd

macrumors member
Jan 16, 2004
61
28
You cant say they dont gain anything from it.. how about all that publicity they add at the bottom of the window?
 

johnnyjibbs

macrumors 68030
Sep 18, 2003
2,964
122
London, UK
3.0 (that came with Office) didn't work at all for me at uni - couldn't connect. I upgraded to 3.5 and now it can (but only for 10 minutes at a time before cutting out). MSN 4.0 is supposed to be coming with Office '04 this summer, but I doubt it'll bring much..

I use Fire now because at least that can handle MSN without cutting out all the time, so it's actually of use now. I'm not interested in the games like the Windows version - I'd like to see video and audio chat. (Yeah, I know, iChat AV/AIM 5.5 but no-one uses AIM that I know, can't convince them, and no-one I know has a Mac).

I really wish iChat AV played ball with MSN... I love the interface but it sits there as a useless app for me...
 

NarKEd

macrumors member
Jan 16, 2004
61
28
just downloaded fire. awasome app and no more banners : )
Its going to be very nice when they integrate the audio/video chat support

thanks for the info.
 

7on

macrumors 601
Nov 9, 2003
4,939
0
Dress Rosa
MSN Messenger 4.0 for Windows was the first version to offer video/audio support, so I'll be rash and assume the same for MSN Messenger 4.0 for OSX.
 

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
Re: MSN Messenger MAC

Originally posted by 6914708
Where is the update? There are TONS of new features in Windows 6.1 version. Yet us mac users still have 3.5 with terrible features. We are left way behind. I know for a fact that Apple updates itunes, and quicktime for windows, why doesn't Microsoft update msn messenger for mac? Any news?

Kurt
_
IIRC, M$ has stopped development on the free version of MSN Messenger. Like its web browser, Microsoft's new chat client will be available only as part of its MSN fee-based subscription service.
 

B@SS_SHOCK

macrumors member
Jun 3, 2003
72
0
Perth, WA
I wish Microsoft would give Apple the chat cliet source code and add it to iChat so Microsoft no longer has to be s**theads always taking their time upgrading their "Macrosoft" stuff.

Nobody I know uses AIM (or ICQ or YIM), so to have things like buddy icons and audio/video capabilities on iChat using MSN would be a god-send.
 

johnnyjibbs

macrumors 68030
Sep 18, 2003
2,964
122
London, UK
Re: Re: MSN Messenger MAC

Originally posted by MisterMe
IIRC, M$ has stopped development on the free version of MSN Messenger. Like its web browser, Microsoft's new chat client will be available only as part of its MSN fee-based subscription service.
Are you sure? That's not what happens on the PC side of things is it? I'd have thought they'd want to make MSN free for Mac users - gets them using Microsoft products instead of iChat/AIM, Yahoo, etc.
 

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
Re: Re: Re: MSN Messenger MAC

Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
Are you sure? That's not what happens on the PC side of things is it? I'd have thought they'd want to make MSN free for Mac users - gets them using Microsoft products instead of iChat/AIM, Yahoo, etc.
I am certain that IE will no longer a standalone app in Windows. It is being folded into the OS. As for MSN Messenger, it is my understanding that the Windows client will go the same way as the Mac client. It will cost you money. This is old news, so I may not remember all of this quite clearly. Given Microsoft's reasons for ending the free version of MSN Messenger for the Mac, it makes no sense to keep the free version of the Windows client. Microsoft loses money on MSN, but it wants to keep the service but earn a profit on the service. Since it loses most of its money on Windows users, it makes sense that the Windows client be fee-based.
 

johnnyjibbs

macrumors 68030
Sep 18, 2003
2,964
122
London, UK
I heard that IE was becoming part of Windows itself yes, not a standalone app. I suppose MSN is also pretty integrated within the OS also, hence the hassle my mum has with downloading AIM 5.5 and getting that not to conflict with MSN! Still, Microsoft doesn't have the option for integrating MSN for Mac into the OS, and the only way they could make the new version be paid for is if they only include with Office '04 which will upset a lot of people. I would have thought that they would offer it for free as they have done so already, just like they still bother with Windows Media Player 9 for Mac and MSN, etc. Then again, they could work with Apple to get it integrated into iChat AV and then they wouldn't have to bother making a Mac version of MSN...
 

7on

macrumors 601
Nov 9, 2003
4,939
0
Dress Rosa
They bothered with WMP9 because they want the wmv format to become a "standard." But I do think MSNmessenger4 will come with Office.
 

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
...

Then again, they could work with Apple to get it integrated into iChat AV and then they wouldn't have to bother making a Mac version of MSN...
You just don't get it, do you. It is not a matter of development costs for a chat client. In the greater scheme of things, those costs are minimal. Microsoft wants and needs the profit stream that MSN has thus far failed to provide. Microsoft feels that you may be willing to pay for the MSN subscription service because you can't get MSN Messenger any other way. If Microsoft can get the profits, development costs be damned. The web browser to be bundled with the MSN for MacOS X client software will not be the old IE, but a new browser altogether.

P.S. MSN Messenger has been bundled with Office v.X since Day 1. Bundling the software with Office does not in an of itself give the Office user a subscription to the service.
 

ipoddin

macrumors 65816
Jan 6, 2004
1,118
178
Los Angeles
Re: Re: Re: Re: MSN Messenger MAC

Originally posted by MisterMe
I am certain that IE will no longer a standalone app in Windows. It is being folded into the OS. As for MSN Messenger, it is my understanding that the Windows client will go the same way as the Mac client. It will cost you money. This is old news, so I may not remember all of this quite clearly. Given Microsoft's reasons for ending the free version of MSN Messenger for the Mac, it makes no sense to keep the free version of the Windows client. Microsoft loses money on MSN, but it wants to keep the service but earn a profit on the service. Since it loses most of its money on Windows users, it makes sense that the Windows client be fee-based.

I'm not so certain about that. Wasn't part of the whole anti-trust suit against MS because the browser was so tied to the OS??? I believe as a result MS has to make it possible to remove the browswer from the OS.
 

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: MSN Messenger MAC

Originally posted by ipoddin
I'm not so certain about that. Wasn't part of the whole anti-trust suit against MS because the browser was so tied to the OS??? I believe as a result MS has to make it possible to remove the browswer from the OS.
Yes, but that was Windows 98. Apparently, future versions of Windows are not part of the settlement. I know it really sucks. It makes the court's finding that Microsoft is an illegal monopoly seem like a cruel joke on Microsoft's victims.
 

jholzner

macrumors 65816
Jul 24, 2002
1,385
21
Champaign, IL
Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
I heard that IE was becoming part of Windows itself yes, not a standalone app. I suppose MSN is also pretty integrated within the OS also, hence the hassle my mum has with downloading AIM 5.5 and getting that not to conflict with MSN! Still, Microsoft doesn't have the option for integrating MSN for Mac into the OS, and the only way they could make the new version be paid for is if they only include with Office '04 which will upset a lot of people. I would have thought that they would offer it for free as they have done so already, just like they still bother with Windows Media Player 9 for Mac and MSN, etc. Then again, they could work with Apple to get it integrated into iChat AV and then they wouldn't have to bother making a Mac version of MSN...

No one is going to pay to use MSN messanger I don't think...if that becomes the case everyone will just switch to AOL IM or Yahoo...microsoft has to know this.
 

johnnyjibbs

macrumors 68030
Sep 18, 2003
2,964
122
London, UK
Originally posted by MisterMe
You just don't get it, do you. It is not a matter of development costs for a chat client. In the greater scheme of things, those costs are minimal. Microsoft wants and needs the profit stream that MSN has thus far failed to provide. Microsoft feels that you may be willing to pay for the MSN subscription service because you can't get MSN Messenger any other way. If Microsoft can get the profits, development costs be damned. The web browser to be bundled with the MSN for MacOS X client software will not be the old IE, but a new browser altogether.

P.S. MSN Messenger has been bundled with Office v.X since Day 1. Bundling the software with Office does not in an of itself give the Office user a subscription to the service.
Yes I know, MSN is included with Office because it's removing an obstacle (i.e. having to download it) to get MSN onto your system, just as Windows users who try to download QuickTime tend to end up with iTunes as well - Apple wants iTunes on as many Windows systems as possible.

However, as someone else said, no-one is going to use MSN messenger if they have to pay for it and I can't see much of a market for their MSN subscription service. It would be nice from Microsoft's point of view to get some earnings from it but, at the end of the day, that's unlikely to happen but they are still content on getting their programs used by as many people as possible. They would like the MSN messenger standard to become THE standard, not for people to use AOL or Yahoo. This may then also entice people onto profitable software, such as Office or Vitual PC (although, this is Microsoft software - probably not!)
 

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
Yes I know, MSN is included with Office because it's removing an obstacle (i.e. having to download it) to get MSN onto your system, just as Windows users who try to download QuickTime tend to end up with iTunes as well - Apple wants iTunes on as many Windows systems as possible.

However, as someone else said, no-one is going to use MSN messenger if they have to pay for it and I can't see much of a market for their MSN subscription service. It would be nice from Microsoft's point of view to get some earnings from it but, at the end of the day, that's unlikely to happen but they are still content on getting their programs used by as many people as possible. They would like the MSN messenger standard to become THE standard, not for people to use AOL or Yahoo. This may then also entice people onto profitable software, such as Office or Vitual PC (although, this is Microsoft software - probably not!)
You are probably right. At least, I hope that you are. My previous posts were not about what will happen, but about what Microsoft is doing and hopes to happen as a result. With MSN, Microsoft got into the online subscriber service market late, and has been pushing it ever since. Despite massive losses, it keeps trying to find ways to turn that turkey into a swan. Microsoft is now trying to leverage MSN Messenger into new paying subscribers for MSN.
 

derekamoss

macrumors 65816
Jul 18, 2002
1,485
1,124
Houston, TX
even if Microsoft (for windows) adds MSN Messenger to MSN subscription services and makes you pay for it there will always be Windows Messeneger as well.
 

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
Originally posted by derekamoss
even if Microsoft (for windows) adds MSN Messenger to MSN subscription services and makes you pay for it there will always be Windows Messeneger as well.
And you know this how?
 

kiwi_the_iwik

macrumors 65816
Oct 30, 2001
1,110
1
London, UK
Well - the REAL answer would be if Apple made iChatAV available to PC users - aka. iTunes-style...


...THEN MicroShaft would completely defecate themselves.

:p
 
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