Vista - Mandatory Live Messenger Update

When i try to log-in on my MSN Live Messenger today, it asked me if i would like to install an update. I clicked the relevant button to see what's new, which brought me to the very useless generic page of Messenger advertisement. I know i can IM my contacts with Messenger, that's what i've been doing for over a decade, even the first release version of Messenger did that! It's not the "what's new?" page i wanted to see!!

Pissed-off, i denied installing the update (it asks me if i would like, so i have the right to reject, don't i?). I was frustrated to see that it doesn't let me log-in. Why the hell do i have to install an update that i don't know the function of, rather than using the version i'm satisfied with?

What's wrong with these guys? Why do they force people to do this and that?

I'm trying to find a Messenger alternative.. Any comments welcome..

Nobody else was offended?

I think you all have to be brain-dead to take this issue so lightly.

Up yours.

Greetings,

This is pretty much standard procedure in Messenger. There hasn't been full disclosure of
what's new in Messenger since the 3.5 days or when there's a major security hole. However, a
forced update only occurs in general when there's a security hole or they are attempting to
get old beta versions off the network.

However, it appears this time they forced the old "release" for unknown purposes. Besides
using some of the older versions (8.5 for instance), there's also Pidgin, aMSN, Miranda and
others but none really retain the features of Messenger very well.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2009 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--




"bugger" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:a3bb7351d3f0c496bac57883a78d6ecd@xxxxxx-gateway.com...

I too am fed up with the update. I had to install the latest version when I
got a new pc...I didn't like it but learnt to live with it . Is now asking me
to install another update which seems to take hours..Mmm Why should I? just
got used to the other one

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" wrote:

Jonathan, thanks for your decent reply to my very impolite post. Folks at Microsoft can avoid such reactions with very simple things, like making a seperate page for people who are updating from a previous version, which says things like "This update will enable you to use WLM much safer" or something like that. I'm not a multi-billion corporation, but i can figure this out in two minutes.

I was never this furious at updates before. It must be coupled with other things i lived through yesterday, or maybe i'm fed up with it, as Tink here also stated.

I tried several alternatives, eMesene and Trillian seems okay, but none of them as simple and functional as Live Messenger, i hate to admit.

Hi Tink,

It's just bug fixes this time around, there's no real noticeable change. I'm not quite sure
why it's been forced but you won't lose anything or see any difference by installing it
(nothing new to get used to).

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2009 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--

"Tink" <Tink@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:42E22D24-D9D3-46DF-A152-3863F8B0DCC2@xxxxxx

Hi,

Oh I completely understand. I know people on dialup who certainly are not pleased, corporate
administrators that now have to go and update all their machines, and those with bandwidth
caps who really want to make the most of their bandwidth (I fall into this latter group).

My personal opinion has always been that mandatory updates should be a last resort and even
then, it should be spelled out exactly why this update needs to happen.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2009 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--

"bugger" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:ee3bc1381e5a2fa1f7654228b3604a77@xxxxxx-gateway.com...

Thanks Jonathan
Like friend bugger I calmed down. Only to find that the site wouldn't let
me download it at all.My pc is quite slow and after numerous attempts left
the pc on all night. Yes you've guessed it .Just got up only to find I got a
NOT ABLE TO INSTALL notice. So I am back to square one. I read that even if
you get "timed out" the download would restart from where the interruption
occured once back on the net but this hasn't happened . What next then
please? Thanks

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" wrote:

Hi Tink,

I think the best bet would be just to manually upgrade Messenger. To do so, you'll need to
first uninstall the previous version, which you can do by pressing the Windows key with R to
bring up the Run dialog, and then paste the following:
msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C}
then click OK.

Say yes to uninstall the product and wait till it's complete.

Next, download and run the Messenger installation MSI file:
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/redir/w3qfe/wlm.asp

If that installs without an error (it'll just install and disappear if it's successful), then
install the Communications Platform:
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/red...e/contacts.asp

If that installs correctly, you can now use the latest Messenger by running it from the Start
menu, Windows Live folder.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2009 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--

"Tink" <Tink@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:9141D173-B120-4E52-9D71-431AC68D6793@xxxxxx