Shoutbox

you could right click on the task bar and then click properties.  Then at the bottom click the button called customize.  then another window appears.  then find messenger beta in the list and beside the icon and the name of the program there is a column called behavior.  click on the messenger's behavior (probably is set to hide when inactive) click it and a pull down menu appears.  click on always hide and then click ok for all the other windows.   Now your icon is hidden in the system tray.  If you want to see the icon in the system tray temporarily click the arrow on the side of the system tray.