Shoutbox

Hello everybody,

It's not a secret anymore, Windows Live Messenger has been released to its first beta testers who can now enjoy a new version of Messenger. This version is actually pretty impressive, Microsoft finally added many of the things people have been requesting in the past years and they've done it properly. Furthermore, Windows Live Messenger (MSN Messenger 8.0) not only adds many features to your favorite chat service, it also features a brand new interface, cleaner in many ways (though it may take you a week or two to get used to it).

For all those reasons, Messenger Plus! had to change too. The current Messenger Plus! 3 would simply not look right in Windows Live Messenger and for that reason, it won't be updated to support this version of the client. Instead, since the beginning of last month, I've been working on a brand new product that will be called Messenger Plus! Live. This new Messenger Plus! will feature a brand new core, a new look that will completely blend into Windows Live Messenger (sinkable too), a revised feature list to match the changes in Windows Live Messenger, ... this will be the biggest update since the release of Messenger Plus! 2 (that had also been recoded from scratch from Messenger Plus! 1).

All your favorite Messenger Plus! features on will be greatly improved and new ones will also be added. It's too late to talk about anything specific yet but you can at least see the new logo at msgpluslive.net if you want . Don't expect any public beta of Messenger Plus! Live for now, there's still way too much work to do on it before it can be considered "public ready". I'll try keeping you up to date but one thing is sure: Messenger Plus! Live 4.00 will be released at about the same time as Windows Live Messenger 8.00 (final public release). You can also expect a brand new web site for your add-on which will also mark the soon-to-be-reached 10 million users bar.

To prepare for the arrival of Messenger Plus! Live, a small update of Messenger Plus! 3 will be released next week. This update is required for anybody who will want to continue to use the old Messenger Plus! and the new one, side by side, on the same system (Messenger Plus! Live will only be compatible with Windows Live Messenger, you will still need Messenger Plus! 3 if you use Windows Messenger for example). More details about this release will be posted soon.

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year 2006!
Patchou