Shoutbox

I don't see the boxes; all my colors and text formatting appears fine, but my recipients see boxes instead of changes in color and formatting.

This was happening even with the pre-recorded messages that came with the program.

Any way around this?

Yes, they have to download Messenger Plus!

MSN Messenger won't allow you to see the rich text of the names, or hear the custom sounds, so they will need messenger plus! to see coloured names, and listen to custom sounds etc.

More accurately, MSN Messenger doesn't know how to translate the special codes into actual formatting. Plus does this translation on Messenger's behalf.