MSN Messenger version for Vista?

So just out of curiosity is there a version of MSN Messenger in the works that would incorporate Glass (like the new Yahoo Messenger does)?

In my opinion it's one of the only things left at least in my desktop that could do without it's own "skins", I would rather prefer a Glass-ified (possibly?) version 9....

Wonder if it's in the works, can anyone elaborate?

Apparently I wasn't too far off, I saw the screenshots of the MSN 8.5 beta that leaked over the weekend... the UI looks like Aero but I didn't notice any transparency.. The other thing I didn't notice were tabs, these are the two features I find are missing from WLM to make it even better, because between shared folders and a nice interface it's already a winner.

(The aero not so much, but the tabs... that's where it's at!)

What features do the other niners feel would make WLM a better IM application?

Where are these screenshots?

I'm not sure what features WLM is missing right now, it seems pretty complete. One thing I'd like is less obtrusive ads. I keep the add banner on the bottom of the contact list out of fairness, but they are damned annoying since they became fly-out, sound-enabled Flash ads. Almost makes me want to block MSN's ad-server.

Bas wrote:

Where are these screenshots?

I saw some on LiveSide recently, I don't know if they were the ones.

 And you can get tabs (for you conversations) in Messenger Plus! Live.

EDIT: Screenshots on Live Side.

Feature I would like added to Messenger is that when I am IMing with someone that the new message notification sound is played everytime the chat back to me. The sound gets played if your message window doesn't have focus but what if the window has focus and you have to walk away from your computer, you don't know if the person is talking to you are not cause you don't hear the notification sound. Every IM client has it, it should at least be an option to turn on/off if someone wants to.

Oh yea tabs would be sweet.

GoddersUK wrote:

EDIT: Screenshots on Live Side.

Cool, thanks.

GoddersUK wrote:


And you can get tabs (for you conversations) in Messenger Plus! Live.

I stopped using MP! when I upgraded to MSN Messenger 7, besides tabs are a feature that should be addressed in the client, not a third party application...

I think the screenshots were taken on machine running xp, hence no aero effect. I seriously want customizable tabs on the main messenger window. Most of them are two useless but some like alerts, favorites are useful and we need to be given an option to keep some of them   

The screenshots on Liveside were done on Vista, there is no transparency for Messenger in Vista.

Must certainly isn't XP that the screenshots are on, I can't see Microsoft faking Vista's close, min, max buttons.. ugh.

stevo_ wrote:

Must certainly isn't XP that the screenshots are on, I can't see Microsoft faking Vista's close, min, max buttons.. ugh.

Really?




Screenshot taken in Windows Live Mail Desktop.

More LiveSide screenshots:

here.

anand.t wrote:

I think the screenshots were taken on machine running xp, hence no aero effect. I seriously want customizable tabs on the main messenger window. Most of them are two useless but some like alerts, favorites are useful and we need to be given an option to keep some of them   

Nope. No aero/glass on Vista too.

Tabs... Bloody tabs... I WANT TO REMOVE THEM. It's a most stupid feature in WLM. Same as "ad-banner" in main window, ads annoy me incredibly. Who is that moron which "intoduced" idiotic tabs in WLM such as MEEGOS, Teen Search, Kiwee, etc? I want only "Windows Live Alerts" and "Contacts" tabs ONLY!

BlackTiger wrote:

Tabs... Bloody tabs... I WANT TO REMOVE THEM. It's a most stupid feature in WLM. Same as "ad-banner" in main window, ads annoy me incredibly. Who is that moron which "intoduced" idiotic tabs in WLM such as MEEGOS, Teen Search, Kiwee, etc? I want only "Windows Live Alerts" and "Contacts" tabs ONLY!

Not quite sure where my "favourites" tab has gone, but if you go to options > tabs, you can hide the tabs.

I must say i find it quite embarassing for Microsoft that they'll actually let Yahoo beat them to the punch to do a WPF IM. IM's like Windows Live Messenger are in my mind the perfect application to show the common user (not just devs) what WPF is really capable of. It's the perfect demo app for WPF (and WCF too). Fancy UI, animated things, images, videos, music, Peer2Peer capabilities. All of these are considered pretty standard in IM's so why not leverage WPF?!

For those that don't want a WPF based UI they could always stick with WLM 8.1 or any other IM. It's the perfect opportunity!

And the fact that they'd do an overhaul of the UI in Windows Live Messenger 8.5 and STILL not use WPF is just lame, plain and simple. It certainly doesn't give us the impression that MS is prepared to use their own .NET 3.0 technologies for any application for the standard user (yes i know the Expression tools are WPF based, but those are developer tools and not aimed at your average Joe).

It's time to lead by example Microsoft, this is THE perfect opportunity to give WPF the very public showcase it deserves!

Unless MS change 8.5 its a big let down and miss opportunity.  I think I will buy Trillian Astra when its released.  Anyone know when that is? It looks great!

Well, while Aero has been requested alot in the WLM beta feedback section, the feature I'm hoping for the most (as well as most other beta testers) is the conversation tabs.... I could do without Aero if I had that! Though I agree with the poster above that pointed out that Y! messenger did a WPF UI before WLM when it should have been the other way around.