Rumour: Microsoft retiring Windows Live Messenger, merging it with Skype

[nsane.forums]

Rumor has it that Microsoft is planning on retiring Windows Live Messenger over the next few months, with the service being integrated into and replaced by Microsoft's own Skype

According to the folks over at The Verge, Microsoft is planning on retiring their popular Windows Live Messenger service in favor of Skype, with an announcement possibly coming as soon as this week. Messenger will be integrated into Skype in some way, although it wasn't stated whether Microsoft will force people currently using WLM to switch to using Skype.

The Skype team has been working hard to integrate Microsoft accounts over the past few months, with the option now available in the latest version of Skype to sign in using your Microsoft account as well as Facebook account. Naturally this is all part of the big plan for Skype, which Microsoft acquired back in May 2011 for $8.5 billion.

If the rumor is correct, Windows Live Messenger will be no more in a couple of months' time, marking the end to one of the most loved instant messaging clients of the past ten years.

View: Original Article

[DKT27]

Shit just got serious.

Seriously, I'll consider a total Microsoft boycott if this is going to happen.

[sanjoa]

:doh: Skype + WLM = bloatware

[Sonar]

WLM sucks.

back in the day when it wasnt bloated it worked fine.

Think of it this way, ditching WLM brings more users onto the skype network. This will stress test what they have for sure :)

Time for a change skype wont be on top for long.

[GRiM]

Shit just got serious.

Seriously, I'll consider a total Microsoft boycott if this is going to happen.

Why on earth would you do that? Many people stopped using WLM years ago in favor of multi IM account apps like Pidgen etc.

[ALIEDHED]

I'm like Miranda-IM, don't use WLM. :showoff:

[DKT27]

Why on earth would you do that? Many people stopped using WLM years ago in favor of multi IM account apps like Pidgen etc.

Because they are third-party, and I'm not able to adjust myself well to them. Why I'm saying third-party is, there are a lot of compatibility problems that I've faced in other multi-clients. As for adjusting, except Trillian, I don't think any of them offer good looks. Also, I've faced quite silly problems with them. Last, I've got used to WLM's interface (mini-UI, not that bloated one) and it's function.

I know, the faster I switch the better, but I always end up coming back to WLM.

If anyone has a set of good themes for, lets say Pidgin, MirandaIM, etc. Do let me know. :)

Now why I'm against this move? Because I'm tired of Microsoft making drastic changes to everything. It's pointing to a product and changing everything about it, as if something is broken.

[LiLmEgZ]

Why on earth would you do that? Many people stopped using WLM years ago in favor of multi IM account apps like Pidgen etc.

Because they are third-party, and I'm not able to adjust myself well to them. Why I'm saying third-party is, there are a lot of compatibility problems that I've faced in other multi-clients. As for adjusting, except Trillian, I don't think any of them offer good looks. Also, I've faced quite silly problems with them. Last, I've got used to WLM's interface (mini-UI, not that bloated one) and it's function.

I know, the faster I switch the better, but I always end up coming back to WLM.

If anyone has a set of good themes for, lets say Pidgin, MirandaIM, etc. Do let me know. :)

Now why I'm against this move? Because I'm tired of Microsoft making drastic changes to everything. It's pointing to a product and changing everything about it, as if something is broken.

Im with ya on this one... Ill just stop using the service altogether if they require and force us to use SKYPE program...

[Gabben]

I ditched WLM years ago. My friends are on FB chat and Skype. Time to move on guys. ;)

[Alanon]

I've been asked to get a Skype account, which I flat refused. HATE the WLM stuff, even merged all the contacts into the Gtalk app a few years ago and never looked back. For the past couple of days the servers are down though, and perhaps this would be the reason why... :dunno:

Anyway, merging it with Skype is fine with me.... Might even be a step up...

[Hottwire]

Shit just got serious.

Seriously, I'll consider a total Microsoft boycott if this is going to happen.

:doh: Skype + WLM = bloatware

I ditched WLM years ago. My friends are on FB chat and Skype. Time to move on guys. ;)

I ditched it too, i still have it from the install years ago..... lol but seriously who still uses nowadays, when you have Facebook/twitter/skype and the rest that are so much more popular?

[a2ms]

I don't understand why people hate so much Skype. It is the best for videocalls. For fast text chat people use gchat, or facebook. And with skype you can also use facebook, so it makes sense. It also make sense that MS doesn't has 2 compiting products that do similar things.

[DKT27]

Moving to FB? :doh:

Either way, I don't like being forced to accept something by ditching a thing I've been using from almost a decade now. Sure the interface has changed a lot. Merger from backend is fine, but MS is changing whole software, and is only doing so because Skype is a better brand name these days.

@Alanon: Gtalk being limited to Google account users and hardly getting any updates whatsoever kills the fun for me.

[David]

Moving to FB? :doh:

Either way, I don't like being forced to accept something by ditching a thing I've been using from almost a decade now. Sure the interface has changed a lot. Merger from backend is fine, but MS is changing whole software, and is only doing so because Skype is a better brand name these days.

@Alanon: Gtalk being limited to Google account users and hardly getting any updates whatsoever kills the fun for me.

the last one that worked great was the 2009 version released in 2010... i still havethat setup but microsoft blocked from acessing saying that is a new version available and doesnt let me log in... what amazes me is that since then im having dificulties receiving chat... and some ( very little) contact adds and doesnt work correctly... i say yes but doesnt do anything... normaly i would go to the older version and add the people and worked first time... after that the contact would appear in the new messenger... amazing right?

microsoft is killing it... yesterday i go some friend of mine asking me if i was receiving something in the msn ... i said no... he close/open his messenger and me the same and after that worked... wtf microsoft

im having strange problems with skypoe too... anyone made a call using gamecon 367 headset and notice many background noise? didnt have any problems when was skype doing the updates... but now microsoft eh ?

best regards

[speedy57]

I hope it's only a rumour, i agree with DKT27... And i don't want use Skype for this (even i'm using it for calls) and certainly not FB ! :wtf:

[LiLmEgZ]

Shit just got serious.

Seriously, I'll consider a total Microsoft boycott if this is going to happen.

Shit JUST got real dude... http://www.nsaneforums.com/topic/148189-official-skype-to-replace-windows-live-messenger-in-2013/

[eridesktop]

good i dont use live messanger tought