hi,
is there any way to hide who i am chatting with,
maybe by hiding their name & e-mail address?
it gets very inconvenient in public.
thanks!

No, there is no option in Windows Live Messenger to hide the emails in a chat window.

However, with a Messenger Plus! script you could probably alter/hide the email address in the title bar and maybe in some other places. But that would be more of a 'hack' I suppose.

aw, but would it be alright to hack then?

What do you mean? If it is illegal to do it or something? As long as you use a script to do it, it isn't illegal as you don't realy change the program.

If you mean to alter the exe (thus to patch) then yes, that is illegal.

i had not done it before, having no idea how.
is there a guide for me to do it?

Well, you need to write a script... or ask, in the scripting forum, someone to make it.
(and install Messenger Plus! Live if you don't already have it)

It shouldn't be too hard to make a script to hide/change the caption of the conversation window.

If I had the time I'd make one though.

i have posted a request there.
thanks for all the helpful explanations!