Hello,

my days with Messenger Plus! are now officially over. The Messenger Plus! Story article on my blog has been updated to close this chapter of my professional life.

Nothing lasts for ever, I’m glad I was there to witness Messenger Plus! reach so many people at its peak. The future of the software is now completely out of my control, I wish the new owners good luck with everything. My little Amélie is growing up, she’s two month old now and she needs all the time I can give her. For that reason, I’ll only be concentrating on small-scale projects this year (like Eorzea’s Guide). As usual, I have a lot of ideas for new projects/software and I hope I’ll have an opportunity to share some of them with you. Even if our meetings won’t be called “Messenger Plus! Meetings” anymore, there’s no reason why we couldn’t organize something like that this year, to share our memories and have some good old geek fun .

Whatever happens, don’t hesitate to contact me again via email or one of the many usual social networks. A good friend of mine from the community recently told me "don’t be a stranger" :  I certainly have no intention to be one, all the opposite .

Patchou

Live long!

Thank you for bringing Messenger Plus! into the world!

Perhaps see you around in Eorzea soon.

I'm happy to see you making your little girl your main focus, little girls need their daddy's...

Best of luck to you and your family, hopefully we'll hear from you every now and then, would like to see Amélie growing up as well.

quote:

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Originally posted by Patchou
(like Eorzea’s Guide).

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From what i read, it seems like YUNA gave Patchou the boot or Patchou realized YUNAs plans were going to destroy everything so he bailed out as soon as he could!

Thank you patchou for your years of work on what was a truly great messenger add-on. Many great memories on here.

Hey Patchou,

it's really sad that you're leaving. We all know Messenger Plus! was pretty much like a daughter for you, and i know that it must be really hard to let it go. i've already told you that, for whatever you need, you can count on me with your new projects.

You've done a great work with Plus! in the past 10 years, and you managed to create a whole community that has constantly supported you during all this time. There've been good and bad times, but im pretty sure we will all have good memories of the years we've spent here. Don't forget about us .

Good luck with whatever you decide to do in the next chapter of your life .

Chrono.

Patchou's philosophies about the plus development was what made the community so strong and close knit - you always kept the community updated, and treated many of them as friends rather than consumers for an advertisement supplement.

Thank you for your many years of plus development, and managing plus under its wing for its most successful years and most thriving community. You have made an impact on many peoples lives.

You know it saddens me to see you leave Messenger Plus!, I told you that already. Good thing it won't be a goodbye, we'll still be friends, talk, laugh and we will see eachother again...so no goodbyes from me but a cya!

wow!... I didn't expect to read this, Patchy Well... anything I can say is good luck and if you need anything, you just ask.

hugs!

Thanks for the good times.  I was never a Plus! power user, mainly having it for just a few features (logging that worked, /me, contact list cleanup would be the main ones), but those features were indispensable and Plus! served me well for many years.  I finally gave up on the Microsoft client (and thus Plus!) back in December, but that was Microsoft's fault, not yours.

Two things you were successful at and I admire is how you built a great, active community around the product and how you found a way to earn a living working on it, while recognizing that a large part of your audience wouldn't be able to pay (whether because of lack of funds or lack of banking service availability).  If I ever have a similarly targeted product, I would consider learning from your approach.

I didn't have the pleasure to meet you in person, but from what I've heard of those meetings, good times were had by all.    Perhaps that can still be arranged some day.

Best of luck with your future endeavors!

This is a sad day for the community. But not completely unexpected.

Messenger Plus!, your baby, looses its founder. But children grow up and at some point you need to let them go and let them find their own way. All I can hope is that everything you've put into it over these years was not in vein, only time will tell I suppose. Be sure that some of us will keep an eye on it

What others already have said goes for me too: you can always count on me for whatever you need in your future projects, both software-wise (except for apps for mobile phones or facebook apps ), as IRL-wise!

Anyways, a very big thanks for all the good times. Messenger Plus! really shaped a big part of my life too and because of it I have met quite a lot of people, traveled (a small part of) the world and made lots of very good friends. And even learned a small bit of English. Thanks again for all of that!

But yeah, let's continue to have some meeting now and then, so we can mumble about the good ol' times... , hehehe.
(and I'd like to take you up on that anti-stress offer too some day...)

So... I guess this is really the end of the final chapter of a bestseller.
But it isn't a farewell though, the first chapter of the sequel is already worked upon...

Cookie says:
Mind the gap and watch out for bears
/strek


(and especially for you, no edit this time )

Pictures are worth more than thousand words
[remember: read the right columns first, left columns last.]




Thanks for Messenger Plus! and bringing Azumanga Daioh to some more people

Best of luck to you Patch!

quote:

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Originally posted by blessedguy
Pictures are worth more than thousand words
[remember: read the right columns first, left columns last.]

Thanks for Messenger Plus! and bringing Azumanga Daioh to some more people

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quote:

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Originally posted by Mnjul
That's chiyo's first graduation, isn't it

Patchou

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I hate to say it, but I told you so..... And so my life on the internet has come full circle, or is it more like dèjá vu?

And if that thread gets deleted, I made a backup just in case:
http://www.meetcweb.com/files/showthread93882.htm

Its been over a year, and no they still haven't replied yet.


In unrelated news

Nicely put meetc

I just read your open letter again, it's great.

Dammit Cyril, you're making me feel old and I'm only 18!

First of all, you have my greatest appreciations for everything you've done for Plus! and the community. I can't find the words to describe how much I love being part of this project, it's even harder to do so in a second language.

With every release, you raised the bar for yourself and amazed us with cool nifty features time and time again. Even when Microsoft decided to revamp their whole program (from MSN 7.5 to WLM 8.0), you managed to crack the code and brought Plus! back on WLM, more a-Live than ever (silly pun, I know). Not only did you fix Plus! for the newer versions, you kept on delivering features: as small as transparent windows or as huge as complete skinning and scripting environments. There's just no stopping you and I like that attitude. I'm afraid you became my idol for how to be a software developer, I hope you don't mind.

I guess I'll stay here for now and see how the new parents treat your brainchild. I hope they picked up your enthusiasm and continue to make Plus! the best Messenger add-on. I think it's a bit too early to judge them after just one release, we'll see how this evolves.

It's sad to see you go but as you said yourself, nothing lasts forever. I wish you all the best for the future, enjoy your life with your family and continue being awesome.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

What can I say? The Messenger community has had Messenger Plus! at its heart and after a piecemeal decline over the past couple of years, I think I can say this is all now over.

It has been great to get to know you all throughout the years. But now I can't really see the community going any further, there is virtually nobody behind Messenger anymore.

All I say actually say is thanks for the good years and for all the help everyone has gave me personally since 2005, including Patchou.

You'll be missed Cyril

With Patchou gone, I can see us getting censored in no time. They'll have no reason to listen to us, or to listen to suggestions.

If they don't have Patchou to please, they can do what the fuck they want.

I think you should be so proud of the community you helped create here which has started so many friendships which I'm sure will last a lifetime.

Plus! is what got me into programming when I signed up here so I could make what went onto become Screenshot Sender.

Then I learnt PHP creating a website to collect SoundPacks, which went onto become MPSounds.net, so I honestly do feel that I personally owe you a lot Cyril, so sincere thanks.

Best of luck with all future projects, I'm sure we'll be hearing about some of them soon.

Have fun being a Daddy

I must say that I've been glad to be a part of this, even if not for long compared to most other (still) active members here. Either way, it's been nice to be a part of this community - I've met some really cool people through it, plus had some incredibly good times.
Heck, if it hadn't been for these forums I doubt I'd ever have had such a good time playing Minigolf.

I've enjoyed contributing to the translation of Messenger Plus! so far, and if things don't go downhill, I'll do my bit to make sure Snorwegians can still gain the benefits of what you started.

It's a shame to see you go, but at the same time you now get to focus on something else. May you have a great time with your new direction and a lovely/fantastic/spectacular time as a dad.

Good luck and have fun.

You were right, Patchou, when you told that all good things come to an end. Who hadn't thought of it, lived in a dream world.

I joined this community almost 7 years ago as a punk. Why? I was so attracted to the software and seeing what the community was like, i knew i want to be part of it. I know my post count is low, but still - i have been here all the time, read thousands of posts. My contribution (translation & testing) has been modest, but i feel like i've changed the world. At least i tried to, here and locally. I love my Plus! t-shirts and i love Plus!

For all that and everything else, a standing ovation for you Patch! You changed the world. You made the (IM) world a better place. Now go have fun and say hi for me to your little princess!

Regards,
rix

Wow, its been a crazy ride, from the days of Chris Bolton's mybboard, to the millions and millions of users. This community and product you've developed is really admirable. Messenger Plus is the reason I started programming, and from this I'm now graduating this summer with a degree in Computer Science and moving to the US for a programming job. I am truely thankful to everyone here in the community too.

Congratulations on the little one, hope the mother and yourself are doing okay, not too many sleepless nights.

Patch, you've got a legacy to be very proud of


Take care,

jackass_wanabe


edit: Whoops

i.. i dont want to believe

i never thought i'd see the day that you post this O.o... thanks for being more of a friend to all of us. it's what kept us all using the software! it had a personal touch for most of us i'm still using the mouse pad you sent me. and i still wear the shirt sometimes! Plus babe forever!!!

<3.

Another era has ended (2001-2011, 10 years). Patchou has left the building. I remember those days, Plus! was just small extension for msn messenger with few users. Now its big!

There a time for everyone, when they need to move on with there life.

Good luck being a daddy.

I'll still be here skinning WLM.

Last of all, It won't be the same without you. :/

Wow. First off, congrats on the baby girl! Second, It was definitely fun and interesting getting to know you/ making fun of you over the years. I've always wanted a "Plus! Meetup" on the west coast and perhaps this time, we can make that happen ?

Best Wishes and Good luck.

P.S. Now accept my friend request of FB

This is a sad day
Good luck with whatever you do in real life!

I can't say I am surprised that this has happened. The community (and software) won't be the same without you. Good luck with all your future endeavours and thank you for those wonderful years and inspiration for everything I've done here and learned here.

Hey,

I was not expecting this... all your posts really mean a lot to me, I'm grateful for everything. If you don't mind, I'll add a copy of your replies in the comments of my blog, I'd like to keep this thread as a souvenir.

If you want to add me on Facebook, just search for my name, I doubt there are many Cyril Paciullo out there .

Thank you all.

I just re-sent the friend request on facebook Patch, as everyone stated by now, its really sad news that you are leaving the building

I wish you luck in every aspect of your life

Live long and prosper,

Having personally known and worked with Cyril a.k.a Patchou I can say that it's been an honor and a great pleasure!!!

I feel a bit sadden by this news as well as i was looking forward to further work with the great Patchou himself, but Life goes on and we move onto other things as they come along...

I wanna wish Cyril good luck with his new professional projects and the best of things yet to come in his personal life !!!!

You'll be missed

It's a very sad day for Messenger Plus!....it's a big time of change at the moment and in some ways I'm surprised that it hadn't come to this sooner.

I hope you're incredibly proud of the product and community that you've built over the years.

I wish you all the best luck with your future endeavours......if you thought getting Plus! to the age of 10 took hard work, I think Amelie will be a different kind of challenge

I wish you the biggest luck with your future projects!

You've built a piece of software and community like no other, it's true that all good things come to an end, but your talent will keep on rocking in all of your future creations!

Thank you for all of your hard work!

Aw, I am sorry to hear that. And you're right, nothing lasts forever... it's the truth, just the way life is...
On a brighter not, your little Amélie is adorable

God bless

Sad to see you leave Cyril, but you got to do what you got to do. It's been a great run and the community is forever in debt for everything you have done for us over the years.

Without your hard work, my little hobby of skinning would have fizzled out years ago and for that I say thanks.

I wish you nothing but the best in all your future endeavors and your journey in life as a father.

Incredible that I missed this thread... I can't be more sad of this and in the same time happy for you Patch because I was able to know you and share with you (sadly only via Internet) to improve this amazing piece of software that changed MSNM and WLM for so long time...

I wanna give you a huge thanks for giving me the opportunity of being Betatester, this started my always-betatesting life that now is almost my future in so many Robotic and Mobile (Nokia + Microsoft) projects.

I only can wish you the best things for you and your family! Please don't get lost from us!

Hey Patchou,

I don't know if you'll read the message as it's fairly old now, but I only really check this forum occasionally these days.

I'd just like to say that the attention to detail and professionalism you put into Messenger Plus! was really inspiring.

I joined the forums 8 years ago when I was 14 and I can definitely say that Messenger Plus! and this community played a major role in me choosing to study computer science at university, and getting a job, which I love, as a software developer.

Good luck with all your future endeavours

Saral

Good bye.

Thank you.

Wow.... I'll just say that I miss the old Plus! community. Good luck Patchou. I enjoyed testing Plus!.