Something I miss in this thread:
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Messenger Plus! is not the same as MSN Messenger; Messenger Plus! is not chat program/client.
MSN Messenger is the program you chat with, while Messenger Plus! is "only" an addon for MSN Messenger.
This means that chatting is still done in MSN Messenger; you still use MSN Messenger, even if Messenger Plus is installed.
Messenger Plus! just provides some extra function and stuff which can make your chatting life much easier.
Virusses can still be received in MSN Messenger if you're not carefull. This has got also nothing todo with Messenger Plus!; it doesn't matter if Messenger Plus! is installed or not. Messenger Plus! does not cause you to recieve virusses or doesn't prevent you from recieving virusses. eg: if someone sends you a file via MSN Messenger, a file which is infected, and you accept it and execute it (without scanning it first) you will be infected too.
The MSN Messenger program itself does not contain any virusses, nor spyware (if you download it from the
official website). The same with Messenger Plus!: it does not contain any virus and does not contain spyware (if you download it from the
official website).
However, MSN Messenger does show some ads inside its program. It also does ask you, when you install it, if it can install some searchbar and other stuff (this is very easly missed and thus installed though)
Messenger Plus! also contains an adware sponsor program. This in the form of advertisement popups and also a searchbar. But this is not so easly missed and it can't be installed by accident like the one of MSN Messenger.
Always download programs from official sites!!! And always read every screen, all the readme.txt's and all the EULA's if you install a program and nothing bad can happen...
/ 
