Microsoft Messenger 5 for Mac

[Veljo]

For all of those who use MSN Messenger 4.0 for Mac, be prepared for Microsoft's newest update, due for release sometime in June.

Renamed Micosoft Messenger 5 for Mac, a few (emphasis on few) new features have been added and listed below:

• Display pictures: users can now have display pictures
• Custom emotions: you can receive custom emoticons from Windows users, but you can't make your own
• Brushed metal: sports a new interface tying it closer to applications such as iChat, Safari and QuickTime
• Improved file transfers: file trasfer reliability has been raised significantly, though as with MSN Messenger 7.0 for Windows there are some bugs that block the transfer of files with certain extensions
• Bigger buddy lists: up to 300 contacts can now be added to a buddy list, up from 150 and now in-line with MSN Messenger for Windows
• Larger conversation population: you can now have up to 15 people in the same conversation
• Corporate messaging: in a business environment you will be able to add corporate contacts to Messenger for Mac just like Windows Messenger on the PC

While these features are welcome, they are long overdue. In comparison however, Messenger for Mac still has only a little over 20% of the features that the new MSN Messenger 7.0 for PC has.

A comparison table is shown below:
http://rjt-online.myby.co.uk/messenger/table.php?ref=

Below is a screenshot released by Microsoft. It definately looks better than before:


So what do people think of this upgrade? How many Messenger users do we have here? It is nowhere near as good as what MSN Messenger 7.0 for PC is, but it's definately an improvement.

[Reality]

To just share my fast opinion I think the new looks is dumb. And I think the little upgrades is even dumber. I use MSN all the time though so don't get me wrong, its my pretty much the only IM I use, but I dropped MSN Message for AdiumX this very month. I may use a MSN account, but the messenger is pretty sad compared to what its doing for Window users.

All these "upgrades", don't mean anything to me. I want real stuff, like voice chat and web cam support. Give me some games and useful abilities like auto-messaging. And the file transfer upgrade is a joke. You could say it's practically a new feature all together since it never worked in the first place with MSN 4. To me, MSN 5 would be pretty impressive if it was made by maybe a team of 3 people who make things for fun. But its from M$ and it's pretty pathetic on their part as developer. (Ok, I got tall that out. I'm not so upset about it anymore. )

Anyway, I would love it if Apple or something would just make their own IM. iChat is a good start but its lacking. I can't even use it's features with Window users. And plus, what person with a PC wants something AOL on it?

[nietzsche2131]

Well to me it looks a lot along the lines of ichat....But I do congrauate Microsoft for giving it that brushed feel to it. ;-) Overall it looks good but a little to overkill. The send button looks like something from longhorn, if you seen the betas of longhorn it has buttons that are that big in the UI. To me it takes away rather then adds. Overall though microsoft made it look great just I'd stick with Adium or ichat. There's my two cents.

[Rysermin]

It looks fine. I just wish they'd get it out. Is that Mid-June still the expected release date? You would think we'd be hearing more about it at this point from either Apple or Microsoft.

[Randman]

Do you think they could have made the Send button any larger?

Forget messenger and download Adium.

[Zammy-Sam]

the only reason to use the msn messanger could be a audio/video chat option. But still there is none. Is that soo complicated?

[Convert]

Not when 3rd part clients have managed to do so.

Who are we kidding here? The Mac unit at MS is probably a 5 person team whoactually works on Windows most of the time and the Mac in their own hours or something. Heck, Windows Media Player is still Jaguar format (well, appearence wise).

[mw84]

June eh.. Apparently now it's 'late August'.