Microsoft is giving its popular Windows Live Messenger service the chop, in an effort to herd the chatting online masses onto Skype instead.
"We will retire Messenger in all countries worldwide in the first quarter of 2013," confirms Tony Bates, the president of Microsoft's Skype division, on Skype's blog.
That means fans of Microsoft's enduring IM client have until the end of March next year to enjoy the free software, at which point Ballmer and pals will be hitting the kill switch.
You'll still be able to access all your Messenger contacts -- as long as you start using the latest version of Skype, that is. The newest edition of the Microsoft-owned text and voice-chat service lets you sign in using your Messenger ID, which will let you chat with all your existing Messenger buddies.
Skype also promises new features for those who make the switch, including support for more devices, such as the iPad and Android tablets, as well as video calling with Facebook friends, screen sharing and group video calls.
Microsoft boasted in 2009 that its Messenger chat service attracted 330 million users every month, while The Next Web reports that today it has nearer 100 million. That's certainly a decline, but is still a huge number of web denizens to displace.
I'll be waving a sad farewell to Messenger. Although it's by no means an essential bit of software anymore, in its heyday the then MSN Messenger was monumentally popular. I'm sure I'm not the only one who frittered away endless evenings using the then-cutting-edge IM tech to talk nonsense with school friends.
Are you upset that Microsoft's giving Messenger the boot? Or is it time to move on? Reminisce in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 18
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anonymous 7 November, 2012 12:24
I used to use it a lot "back in the day", but things have moved on and I have no need for it anymore. Pretty much all my "chat" is done in the Google realm these days. Besides; I don't know anyone who uses MSN Messenger anymore.
anonymous 7 November, 2012 12:24
This is stupid.
Skype is for video chat and the text-based system is woeful. I use MSN regularly to talk to my friends, as it's so much more reliable that Facebook chat or Skype put together.
Also MSN is more private. Skype is for close friends only.
anonymous 7 November, 2012 12:50
I honestly don't know a single person that uses Messenger anymore - most people use Google or Facebook Messenger now. I'd prefer a free, consumer version of Lync with multiple platform support (e.g. Facebook, Google, Yahoo in addition to the already present Skype integration).
anonymous 7 November, 2012 12:51
^^wtf are u talking about?
On skype u can post long comments, edit, quote and delete them. Skypes IM is better than Messenger
"Skype is for close friends only."
WTF???
anonymous 7 November, 2012 12:52
Does this means, that the hotmail e-mail service will be closed aswell? Or only the Windows LIve Messenger Application will be killed?
And I agree, Skype is good for voice call and video call, but for text based chats it's woeful.
Travis Russell 7 November, 2012 13:12
I just use IMO that logs me into all my chat apps at once, including skype, so whatever
anonymous 7 November, 2012 13:21
I still use it and find it a lot better than either Skype or Facebook Chat etc.
Please consider signing this if you use it:
http://savemsn.epetitions.net/
anonymous 7 November, 2012 16:01
I'm not pretty sure about how do you save your conversations in skype but i know that is possible in MSN. This is important if you use it for, lets say, commercial purposes and need to keep track of all past chats.
jake0812 7 November, 2012 18:23
Honestly I don't know if I have used Messenger since I was in 7th grade, which was over 12 years ago. I think that the masses have moved on as well. Check out google+ if you were truly hurt by this announcement to find solace.
anonymous 7 November, 2012 19:10
@anon : Skype is for close friends only
hahahahahahahahaha I cant stop.....
anonymous 7 November, 2012 19:57
Ehhh, I am vaguely saddened by this news.
I still use MSN every day and I know a lot of the people I speak to on it are not going to move to skype, they're going to move to facebook. Goddamnit I hate facebook.
Its not going to change my world or anything, but I'd prefer to keep msn.
anonymous 8 November, 2012 04:17
i think it is just about time to get rid of my computer am tired of all the changes that are beying made .
anonymous 12 November, 2012 17:18
@ anonymous 7th nov 12.02 yes it does mean that hotmail will also go the same way
anonymous 29 November, 2012 11:47
Hotmail is been replaced with 'Outlook.com'..........all hotmail users have been slowly been moved to this.
Also you can use messenger from within hotmail / outlook website's (at the moment anyway)
anonymous 30 December, 2012 21:30
Bullcrap. The voiceclips are gone. And don't start with "Well yeah, you've got Skype now, you can call people", no, that wasn't what I was using it for. When putting my settings on Stereo Mix I could let a buddy of mine listen to something I was listening on the computer at that moment. That simple part of communication is now completely gone. Also, the interface of Skype's chat is GOD AWFUL.
GOD AWFUL, I TELL YA!
anonymous 10 February, 2013 00:05
I use MSN for work and friends, when I'm at work I appear as offline to my friends so I don't get bothered at work, when I'm at home I appear offline to work and online to friends. All my friends and work colleagues have MSN, very few have Skype - so yea plenty of people still use MSN. Now I've been forced to move to skype I have no 'appear offline' option on my imported contacts and am constantly being hassled by work in the evening. This has got so annoying (after 1 week) that I'm already looking for alternatives and will be ditching Skype as soon as I find it.
anonymous 2 March, 2013 07:51
Small bits of content which are explained in details, helps me understand the topic, thank you!
Messenger service
anonymous 9 March, 2013 16:32
MSN has dumped their clients in order to allow a shark to make pieces of them,skype isn't free and MSN isn;t either, well pay twice msn and skype what a sons of bitches are they,make profit out of my friends and charge them for the"F"service MSN have the obligation to. Fight this monstruosity!!! We're sheeps,caws chikens estupids? Americans are smartest or not?