MSN Messenger 4.0 (Images)

[TorbX]

[...]regaurdless of its lacke of use in countries other than the usa its still the most widly used messinging service.

Hellooo... When only US of A uses it, its not the most widly used messaging service. Maybe *more people* is using it, I do not know that, but it is not at all widely spread.

USA is *not* the worlds navel.

 

[rickvanr]

It's unfortunate, but MSN is huge among Canadian youth. Most of them think it's the _only_ chat out there. I've been trying to get some of my friends to switch to AIM so I can use iChat, but it's not easy.

I sure hope MS delivers a kick-ass product... it's embarrasing showing off a Mac with such a pathetic version of MSN (by today's standards).

its true, for the longest time i only used ICQ, but then there was all these kids a few years younger then me that were going to MSN, and i went from having around 4 MSN at the beginning of grade 12, to 70+ at the end, its crazy. ohwell, i use proteus, so i could care less what ppl use

 

[aethier]

regaurdless of its lacke of use in countries other than the usa its still the most widly used messinging service. So really its juts about politics.

mhmm,because the US makes up the whole worlds population...
AIM sucks balls, AOL to quote people i know "is for morons" ICQ is what i started with back in the day, i really liked it, everyone used it, then like 5 years ago in grade 7, everyone just started switching to MSN, now i was faithful to ICQ, i liked the interface and all, didn't like how MSN conversations actually "stayed" once you sent it, didn't just go away, like in ICQ. but as my contact list died, i to switched to MSN, I wanted to talk to friends.

Apple, as much as i love Apple... You seem to only care about the US, everything gets US priority, all services work mostly only in the US, or take for ever to go global, i can't even order iphoto prints in canada, and it has been out for 2 or 3 years. and ichat is AIM only, who out of the US even cares about it. so apple decides that only americans get to use ichat?, aside from mac users, but who out of you have all your friends as mac users? in my school, aside from me there are only two other mac users...

aethier

 

[iLilana]

it's like.. who cares?

until they support the im equally across platform then its really useless.

 

[lordmac]

Hellooo... When only US of A uses it, its not the most widly used messaging service. Maybe *more people* is using it, I do not know that, but it is not at all widely spread.

USA is *not* the worlds navel.

Sorry when I said most widly used i ment in terms of the number active users. Sorry About the confustion

 

[Nermal]

Come on MS, you can do better than this. Hopefully it won't disconnect all the time like 3.5.1 does.

I've tried iChat with another Mac user, and it was OK. I'd love to use it more, but nobody uses AIM. Apple should put MSN support into iChat.

 

[ssnmx]

LOL no offence, but Office isn't an inferior app... Why do so many mac people want to use it? And as for the reason why IE stopped development for mac, is cause Apple created Safari.

And as for the reason IE still comes bundled, is because they still have a contract with Microsoft... I'm sort of lost as to what websites only work with IE? Haven't been to one yet *Shrugs*

The point to my whole thing was not to pull down Apple, but to make people realize that Apple is going towards a different trend/market. Apple has changed, and it's not what it used to be. Apple computers are for the yuppie market, and not all of us are Yuppies.

BTW told you so! LOL got flamed!

Maybe I didn't explain well what I was trying to say:
Inferior apps: Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer, Movie Maker, and MSN Messenger for Mac.

I don't think Office is an inferior app. It's a suite of apps to start with, but I like 'em. I have them in my computer and use it all the time. But we're talking about MSN messenger here! And although it is really cool in the PC side, in the Mac side they're far behind.

Apple created Safari because MS announced it would stop developing IE for other platforms. And if you haven't found any website that only works with IE, then you're really lucky.

I'm not a yuppie myself and I don't see how having iLife makes Macs yuppier than before. It's true that I, at least, for the most part only use iTunes and GarageBand every once in a while to kill time as I don't own a camera to make videos (and I seem to be the only one)... but having apps just there doesn't hurt, and it's the perfect excuse to get some cool toys

Besides, if none of this software came bundled with our Macs, we would all complain of the lack of apps and it would get chaotic, especially if PCs have something and we don't!

 

[2112]

I can't actually believe the pictures I'm seeing. It's the exact same crap as 3.5.1, no handwriting support, no camera, no audio chat ... this B$.

 

[Chealion]

I don't see why people rate this negative; even if you don't like the MSN solution or protocol, surely it's useful to have an up-to-date implementation? And if it becomes the dominant chat app, then isn't it essential to have one?

Why not rate it negative? It's bad news. MSN 4.0 is a let down. And it certainly doesn't give anyone hope of Microsoft releasing something that works.

Now if Entourage could finally import a .pst it might be worthwhile.

The current Messenger is a passable beta client by today's standards. It just plain sucks as of yet. Then again, they will never make all of us happy, but when most of us are unhappy with the product but use it because we need to, will they change?

 

[j_maddison]

Actually the video works between AIM 5.5 and iChat. I live in Canada and have friends and family in the UK. No problem with video chat

Yes i know the video is working for some people, but its not working for me
I've posted a question about my problem on apples discussion forum.

jay

 

[papersushi]

MSN Messenger is way more popular outside of USA. Chances are your buddy oversea doesn't use AIM or iChat. MSN Messenger Windows version I have to say is very good, especially personal large picture icon, custom emotion, Audio, video chat.

But none of these features are available on MSN messenger Mac edition. You may argue iChat AV supporst full screen video chat MSN doesn't. But seriously, how many people you gonna find use Mac+iSight+iChatAV? How many of us bought an iSight then end up only using it a couple of times because the lack of people you can talk to?

I like iChat but I really love to see a major uograde for MSN messenger Mac edition.

 

[Linc]

There is A LOT of difference. It's not just that MS has apps that come bundled with windows, it's that they have lines in the windows code to take on its competitors, that is, to prevent apps from competitors from working the way they should. This is part of the reason why the EU had them "punished"

As opposed to say, how the webcore frameworks are tied in to Panther, which is also preventing Jag users getting the latest version? Or how Quicktime is so tied in to the OS as well? You think Mac OS X could be sold minus QT and Safari and still work, if the EU decided the same for Apple as it has for MS? Just food for though.. and no I'm not a MS fanboy, I have a PB, and an iPod, and develop on and for Mac.. it just frustrates me when other users go off about how evil Microsoft are, without really thinking everything through.

 

[ITR 81]

Who even uses MSN anymore??
I've only met 1 person that actually used it.

I started out on ICQ ..well until it got bought out by AOL...then I started using AIM and then iChat AV when I got my first PB over a yr ago.

 

[Krrill]

Not going to get into a big conversation, we could have a lot of fun, but the topic is different.

 

[NarKEd]

THIS IS A VERY VERY IMPORTANTE MESSAGE:

1)go to http://r-james.myby.co.uk/mac/msnmessenger/
2) click on the "Click here to contact MSN!" link
3) tell those suckers tu include the audio/webcam/pictures features in our mac version.

Its only 1 minute of your time and its worth it

 

[JFreak]

more important message

go to www.apple.com/feedback and tell them we want ichat to be compatible with msn/icq/yahoo for at least the basic features if not the a/v chat.

i did my part, now it's your turn. apple is listening to us if we just said something...

 

[rlreif]

first off, I am american (have a lot of friends in Canada and elsewhere) and I do not know one person who uses aol...

second, even though I love everything mac, I am about to buy a peecee because I am sick of having no web cam functionality... it is important. Apple could be doing more by lobbying M$ or by making Ichat work with MSN... after itunes, chat is the most important program to me, and I know I am not alone.

Ichat is a joke. I know we all would like apple to rule the chat mkt as well, but they don't... and they never will.

AOL is going down... I just dont see huge revenue growth in dial up internet...

the whole world uses MSN, and we are being let down with this.

 

[mac_bandit]

Okay... Let's get this straight: People use the Instant Messenger their friends use. It's no use using (for example) AIM, if 99% of your friends and family use MSN.
Unfortunately, MSN is the most dominant Instant Messenger in Australia (especially with young people). This is the case because Windows is now (and has been for some time) bundled with MSN/Windows Messenger, and for convenience, users simply choose to use it (along with Windows Media Player, too).
Being in a high-school environment in which students require laptops, I was the first to bring in (and show the IT Department it was possible to use) an iBook. Since then, I have converted a dozen or so people to switch to a Mac. iChat, quite simply, is awesome for LAN environments, because of Rendezvous. The AV features I find superb, also.
However, because my school uses an HTTPS proxy server, I am unable to log into the MSN servers, while Windows users with MSN are able to do so. Why is this so? Because MSN for Mac (including 4) does not include the ability to use an HTTPS proxy.
I do not believe MSN 4.0 deserves a .0 release, simpy because it's 'new' features do not justify one.
I resent having to make excuses to Windows users when they ask me why they can't have a video (or even voice) chat with me, or play an MSN game with me, or look at their user-picture, and so on.
The differences between MSN 4.0 for Mac and MSN 6.1 for Windows are immense. Even third-party products for Mac can't match the feature set of the Windows version.
I am annoyed... to say the least. And converting 130+ people to use another protocol is simply impossible.

The state of Instant Messaging on the Internet is appaling. We need a proper, open protocol, that people are actually compelled to use.

 

[Skypat]

I support what mac bandit says.

Here in Europe, most of my friends use MSN Messenger. I don't think they have a bad interface. AIM on Windows is ugly ...

Apple should make iChat compatible with MSN and Yahoo Messenger. On the other side, MS will certainely make further improvement to MSN 4. They need to add video and audio support. The development of the version 4 is at its early stage isn't it ?

 

[TorbX]

As opposed to say, how the webcore frameworks are tied in to Panther, which is also preventing Jag users getting the latest version? Or how Quicktime is so tied in to the OS as well? You think Mac OS X could be sold minus QT and Safari and still work, if the EU decided the same for Apple as it has for MS? Just food for though.. and no I'm not a MS fanboy, I have a PB, and an iPod, and develop on and for Mac.. it just frustrates me when other users go off about how evil Microsoft are, without really thinking everything through.

Well, there is a difference. Remeber, MS is a generic operating system on a generic machine (with its generic proc, ram, mainboard, etc).

Apple, on the other hand, is a little more uptight. Its like, "this is ours, this is what we do with it, and this is how we want things to be. Don't like it? Bugger off."

I don't think MS is in the position to do that, but Apple sure is.

 

[gekko513]

Thats so true. When I lived in the states everyone used aim. Up here everyone uses msn. Yesterday I told my cousin I use aim and she just looked at me with a blank stare. So now I use iChat for my American friends and msn and yahoo for my Canadian friends.

I don't understand is it because it has America in it's title or what, why can't they use aim?

I'm in Europe and I would not feel comfortable using products with America in it's title (AIM, American Express, ...). It doesn't really make me feel like I'm a target customer. Canada is in America by definition, but somehow I have the feeling that the USA somehow have taken over the words America and American. Am i wrong?

 

[TorbX]

Thats so true. When I lived in the states everyone used aim. Up here everyone uses msn. Yesterday I told my cousin I use aim and she just looked at me with a blank stare. So now I use iChat for my American friends and msn and yahoo for my Canadian friends.

I don't understand is it because it has America in it's title or what, why can't they use aim?

After years and years of "americanisation" it think the world is turning its back on you, for a number of reasons.

 

[Mav451]

I think one person said that no one uses AIM in UK. Well thankfully, if anyone has checked, that means that the AIM version at AOL.uk is the outdated one--the one WITHOUT SPYWARE!

When anyone gets tired of using the new AIM 5.5 (on the PC side anyway) that is loaded with ads and spyware, they turn back to AIM 5.1, which still retains the majority of new features.

MSN - I'll admit, its pretty sad that video chat/profile pic/etc. is not included, because that has been around FOREVER on the PC side. In fact, when many of my friends in college did foreign exchange programs in Taiwan and China, they found that nearly everyone used MSN! And this is the same way i first found out about the video chat. ("MSN can do that?!"). I had the impression of having to use some 3rd-party web-cam SW to do that (which is scary).

For logging purposes, i use one of the older versions of Dead AIM (log sign ons, log conversations, remove ads, etc). Apparently even the Dead AIM guy turned out to be an ass just like AOL and started charging for Dead AIM. Again, the reason i use the older software.

Someone also referred to ICQ. Yeah, it was fun for a while. But who wants to wait between sending messages? IM was actually instant, whereas ICQ could sometimes take forever--especially in the 56k days. When AIM stopped working, you knew you lost your Erols/Mindspring/what have you ISP connection. With ICQ though, maybe it was just taking a while to send that msg. Well I tossed ICQ. No more "uh oh".

 

[Diatribe]

go to www.apple.com/feedback and tell them we want ichat to be compatible with msn/icq/yahoo for at least the basic features if not the a/v chat.

i did my part, now it's your turn. apple is listening to us if we just said something...

I just wrote them to implement MSN support. For me it's pretty much 50/50. Half of my friends use AIM/ICQ/AOL/iChat and the other half uses MSN. But I'm sick and tired of having to use two clients. And no I don't want to use Fire, etc. I like iChat. If we could just get more people to write Apple and ask for MSN protocoll implementation... even if we don't get it, it is still worth a try.
And again... I hate M$ for not being able to include proper proxy support, besides all the other features that this "upgrade" is lacking...

Edit: ICQ IS supported... you just need to put in the ICQ # instead of the name.

 

[TorbX]

I just wrote them to implement MSN support. [....] If we could just get more people to write Apple and ask for MSN protocoll implementation... even if we don't get it, it is still worth a try.

So did I.

Howcome MACs are not in the lead of the coolest apps these days? iChat sucks (it does! I'm in Norway, none of my PC-only friends are one "AiM"), and www.skype.com just won't do a Mac-version of their GREAT product.