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Simon Willison’s Weblog

Why MSN Messenger sucks

Acts of Volition: What’s wrong with MSN Messenger 5.0. I rarely load up MSN (I like to browse in peace) but I’d like to add a few points, aimed at Messenger in general rather than any particular version of the software:

  1. There is no way of setting the displayed name of people on your contact list. To my mind, this is a critical design flaw. I have a number of people on my contact list who change their name, daily, to something obscure. I constantly see new names popping up on my list and the only way of telling who they are is to hover the mouse over them to see their email address and then try to match it with a real person from memory. This is not how software should work. With only a few name-changers on my list this is bearable but irritating—were the number to increase a primary function of the software (seeing which of my friends were online) would be practically invalidated.
  2. The interface looks more like a web page than an application. Yesterday while logging on to my account through my girlfriend’s PC I spend several frustrated seconds trying to find the “log in as a different user” option. My girlfriend pointed it out—it was right in front of my eyes, but Microsoft’s interface designers in their eternal wisdom had chosen to make it look like a hyperlink rather than a button. I don’t look for hyperlinks in applications, so my eyes had skipped right over it.

Steve observes that Microsoft’s UI design teams seem to need to implement an entirely different interface scheme for every product line. I concurr—but I have trouble understanding the motivation behind this. From my (admitedly limited) knowledge of user interface design, two of the most important considerations are to keep things consistent and to observe the principle of least surprise (don’t so anything unexpected). How the biggest sofware company in the world gets away with fragrantly ignoring these principles at every turn is beyond me.

Posted 9th December 2002 at 12:29 pm

This is Why MSN Messenger sucks by Simon Willison, posted on 9th December 2002.

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251 comments

  1. Agreed on both points.

    Steven Garrity - 9th December 2002 17:01 - #

  2. Is that a dig at some of us who enjoy sneding barages of messages to you?? ehh?

    Swannie - 9th December 2002 22:37 - #

  3. Well I agree with you completely. However try Trillian. You will find it on www.download.com, its far superior in every respect. The bonus being it will handle all the other IM services as well, meaning you can be logged into yahoo, MSN etc etc with just one application, and all at the same time. But in responce to your question, its because Microsoft have monopoly power. Add to that the fact that probably 75% of PC users think that the sun shines out of Microsofts posteria and that butter wouldnt melt in their mouth.

    Ross Cottey - 10th December 2002 11:44 - #

  4. > The interface looks more like a web page > than an application. A lot of programs in Windows XP, such as some control panel stuff and the help interface, also look like web pages. Because of that, I usually tap Ctrl+W to close the window (after yet another erroneous F1 :-), but to no avail. Ctrl+W has been a standard browser window closer for ages. If they have to make everything look like a web page, they should at least keep the shortcuts consistent!

    Jan! - 15th December 2002 17:45 - #

  5. look stop complaining were lucky we even got this technololgy this whole arguement is a waste of time enjoy what u have and stop whinging!!!!!!

    emma - 11th July 2003 01:05 - #

  6. 1. Maybe if your friends didn't change their names so much you wouldn't have this problem? People like to express themselves, and this is one method in which to do so. Plus, is it so hard to double click on their name to find out who it is? 2. If you spend more time with the program and get to know its ins and outs you wouldn't have this problem really. I mean you said that you rarely use MSN Messenger, and then you get off saying it sucks? Spend some time with it for God's sake! Actually use it on a regular basis. Then, when you have gotten accustomed to it, you may then rant, although from all the people I know who use MSN, no one has any problems with it.

    me - 11th August 2003 23:34 - #

  7. This site is a load of rubbish wot is the point? you'll never get msn closed down yuor just moaning, shut up and spend your time doing something much more useful- we all are!

    Cathy - 12th August 2003 08:24 - #

  8. Hehe, I have fan mail :)

    Simon Willison - 12th August 2003 09:39 - #

  9. i disagree about this because i go to high school and its the only way to talk to my friends.so i am the queen of MSN. from justine

    justine - 17th August 2003 03:16 - #

  10. i want to get creat nick in diffrent types but i cant understad for this purpose plz tell me abt

    Amjad Hassan - 22nd August 2003 08:19 - #

  11. just shut up MSN going to stay the way it is If u dont like it dont use it get isolated and leave the rest of the world alone

    Shutup - 23rd August 2003 14:45 - #

  12. LOL, this is getting funny! Search engine-friendly markup and content made your site a top result for many MSN-related searches (as seen below), and that traffic clearly consists of a different kind of people than your average reader. :-)

    no how bout u n me go 2 da pub 4 a drinkie? ill tell u y msn doznt suk!!!1

    Jan! - 28th August 2003 10:01 - #

  13. Heheheheh that's just great. Gotta love those referals :)

    I'm laughing at the people who think that we are lucking to have this technology. Damn right we are privelidged, but lucky, no. MSN isn't the only IM Client. I remember back in the days of ICQ when I thought that was great, the days when I ran ICQ, Aim, Yahoo and MSN, on top of a couple of IRC clients. The thing is today's kids don't really notice bad design, it's only the power users that notice, and let's face it, MSN Messenger isn't aimed at power users, by Trillian Pro is.

    Swannie - 28th August 2003 10:29 - #

  14. MSN Messenger, as a messaging service, only became practical to me once I dropped Microsoft's client and began using Trillian. Trillian gives the option to set a display name for a contact. Like you, Simon, I feel that this is a necessity, as many of my contacts like to put random text in their display name field. And Trillian doesn't have any silly URL-buttons either. If you're tied to Windows, it's probably your best bet for a decent IM client.

    Scott Johnson - 28th August 2003 22:36 - #

  15. omg,,, just shut up! if u dont like messenger then dont use it, and stop complaining, and acting like complete snobby computer freaks! just please get a life.

    blondecow@hotmail.com - 4th September 2003 19:56 - #

  16. You really do not have a life really do you?! Why would anybody wanna write about msn and how it sucks? How boring! Write about sumthin interestin eh darlin? I havent even read what you put because i feel its a complete waste of time but thought id tell you that you really should get out more. Oh and msns great! Idiot. Lots of love and kisses, Smashxxxx

    Smash - 7th September 2003 21:33 - #

  17. OMFG ur sooo sad sittin written a about how msn suks !!! well it doesn't suk at all if u dinny like it dinny use it god ur more o a blonde than a am !! Y don't u write about sumhing gd and excitin eh ?! U really just need 2 get a life and stop usin it if u dinny like it u saddo !!

    Tracey - 17th September 2003 17:29 - #

  18. Indeed, i second that! The things a bloody free service and u moan?! U need 2 get a life! U obviously are someone who's got too much time on their hands and has grown tired of masterbation. Get a life!

    Clarky - 23rd September 2003 16:03 - #

  19. MSN IS FINE I GUESS YOUR JUST TO STUIPED to work it

    Lisa - 25th September 2003 03:45 - #

  20. well now msn 6 has a new feature that allows u to display your contact's name as their email addresses...it has improved a lot so yeah...:)

    munki - 25th September 2003 19:08 - #

  21. WHAT DA HELL!!!!!dis is a bunch of bushy pussy shit and if u dont freakin like it den why would u sit der and yap about how much it sucks just frickin leave it alone and let the rest of da world get on wit der lifes!!!!! AND NOOOOOOOOO MSN DUZNT SUCKS...YOU SUCK U DUMB LIL FRICKIN RETARD TOOT FACE!!!!!! U DONT KNOW AND I HOPE U DIE!!!SOOO SHUSH!!!! sincerely, little johnny

    johnny cupalick - 26th September 2003 23:12 - #

  22. Hey Simon Wilson get a damn life stop making up excuses just admit to that your stupid

    Derek - 27th September 2003 05:07 - #

  23. MSN messenger 6.0 sucks. MSN recently disabled my version so that i had to download this horribly inferior new version. not only does it slow down my internet, it hardly ever lets me check my email, it wont let me send files, it wont let me talk to some people, etc. etc. Yet it is the only thing that my friends use, so i guess i am stuck. thank you MSN, youve done it again.

    no one - 29th September 2003 06:08 - #

  24. I love it how you're 'sad' and 'have no life' for complaining about bad UI design. But fanboy / girls who send barely legible comments complaining about your complaints apparently do have lives. :)

    Lach - 1st October 2003 05:36 - #

  25. I totally agree with you guys but id like to add another thought. To tell the truth i like msn as an application but the thing that bugs me is that when my pc is starving for ram and i try to close it on the system tray it will come back to me and say: you cant close it because other programs are using its features such as outlook express internet explorer etc. Wtf i was surfing and using these programs before i had installed msn, now i must use its features??? And another thing. after i installed it and started up it started loged in in my friend's account who happened to check his email like 2 months ago!!! I am not shure if he had loged out or not but still i have loged into my email without loging out at least dozens of times after him..WAs cool htough to check out his email and stuff, but i dont think that makes msn a good messenger, Maybe makes it a good hacking tool.

    lio - 3rd October 2003 18:13 - #

  26. Microsoft's software consistently has "user interface" issues. Linux is free, and most of the software developed for it was developed by people who USE the software too, as a result..software on Linux is more user friendly. Another plus, most software for this plat form allows you to adjust the user interface to meet you needs. Forget MicroCrap...migrate to Linux...free yourself....

    George Bush - 25th October 2003 13:25 - #

  27. I agree with Simon. MSN Messenger does look confusing to navigate its options. Plus the IM window looks bulky and cluttered. MSN should take some notes from AOL in terms of IM services. I like MSN as my ISP, but I use AIM as my default IM service. AOL, surprisingly did something right...and no one has beat their AIM. I've tried Yahoo IM but that to me was just as confusing as MSN, but looks like AIM.

    Andrew - 27th October 2003 19:11 - #

  28. shehzad

    new - 1st November 2003 22:01 - #

  29. you know you can acctually download msg plus to re-name people on your account, like with me, all the people on my contact list are named after there original names and i dont see there acctuall display name. And for the problem... who ohnestly gives a fuck what the "sign in as different user" thing looks like, if u do... ur a retard :-) (just kiddin)

    alex - 3rd November 2003 19:45 - #

  30. Awww poor Natalie Downes having to put up with a pillock ;o)

    donna - 9th November 2003 14:13 - #

  31. Ah... I see many 12-year olds have been visiting this archive... (OMFG your so lmae jsut enjoi ti!!!!111) While you may not agree with Simon on the issue he has brought forward, he has made two completely valid and true points. I personally think that ALL instant messenger clients suck. Why don't you guys stop conforming to the monopoly of Microsoft and use a real method of communication such as IRC? Remember: "If Microsoft is the answer, it must have been a stupid question." It may be true that we need to "get a lfie!!11" for bashing MSN, but you guys need to get a dictionary.

    Logan - 17th November 2003 19:04 - #

  32. thats so not true say domt thrueth!

    Brittney - 27th November 2003 00:13 - #

  33. omg there is nothing wrong with msn and if you go to www.mess.be and go to downloads you can download tons of stuff like msn 6.1 and msn plus! and you can also downloads skins for example my skin is a awsome orange color and it dosent have to be orange i can change it to any color. And also on MSN Plus you can create "custom names" for your contacts Which is what I do because i have ppl who change there name alot so I have there first name so i know who they are when they come online. so all you need to do is go to www.mess.be and you can get tons of other stuff there like awsome display pictures and and millions of cool emoicons. so remember Dont mess with me, Mess with Messenger (www.mess.be) Melani Robinson Age:14 Canada

    Melani - 9th December 2003 22:14 - #

  34. What're the odds of this year-old post getting a comment on this exact day? Huh. :)

    Jeremy Dunck - 10th December 2003 00:38 - #

  35. u see pplz u r all wrong....now as long as the cow doesnt pull the plug and all you can do is spew on yourself its okay to eat the meat.....now beat that u zexy flan chasers!

    britnE - 29th December 2003 10:17 - #

  36. who da hell is britnE?!!?!?!? dude were you high when you were on? dude it makes no sense......but i do agree w/ logan.....yes my good fellow, everyone should agree w/ him....

    snoogle puffs - 29th December 2003 10:21 - #

  37. heh all the people who use messenger are getting upset....good work :) i have to use the msn messenger network because al of my friends use it, but that doesnt mean i use msn messenger...i use amsn for linux...(i think there is a windows port) and it works great...and best of all....mozilla and kmail dont rely on it :)

    me - 15th January 2004 04:52 - #

  38. MSN Messenger doesn't suck, what sucks is the mindless Microsoft bashing. Every time I read something against Microsoft, I find more and more rhetoric rather than a mindful comment. Did you ever conduct a usability test across the MSN Messengers? You will be stunned to find that many more people using computers are inexperienced, and coming from that point they act differently.

    Coming to the real why question, I think it is most probably related to the fact that, MSN Messenger tries to meld in with the rest of MSN, which is basically a portal. So it tries to be seen as part of that experience, where lots of stuff is with links. However, coming to consistency, you may seem to be right, but what you are wrong is that, Microsoft is one of the most consistent major software company out there. It is just that you don't know what you are talking about and you think it is probably safe to bash Microsoft.

    Serge - 29th January 2004 20:59 - #

  39. MSN DOES SUCK. Perhaps I'm too accustomed to ICQ, but since I've been using MSN as well for the past year and a half or so, it irritates me more every day. The name thing is annoying, if you don't know someone's email address there is no find button to look people up with, and actual names aren't linked to the email addresses. They need something similar to ICQ's away messages, so if you want to throw in a comment, the comment doesn't become your name. More useful profiles, would be great too, especially if they opened in another messenger window rather than using Internet Explorer. I can leave ICQ on while my parents are using the computer and they hardly realize its there, someone messages me, a small blinking yellow icon comes up in the task bar. With MSN however, a regular window pops up and starts blinking blue, and a big message pops up every time someone comes online, it all just drives me and my parents nuts. Oh, and history doesn't save in case you wanted to check something you or someone else said in a previous conversation. I think that may be all the points I had to make are there, although I know there is at least one more thing about MSN that annoys me... WAIT, offline messages are non existent, what if you want to leave something for when someone logs on?

    Matthew - 1st February 2004 18:49 - #

  40. I agree with Serge - Microsoft practically invented the concept of consistency across 3rd party application with Windows. It's anal to criticise MSN messenger just because it is moving towards a "web-based" look. Hell, MS spend enough money on UI research so if that's the way they think it should go then why kick up a big fuss about it? It's gonna happen, so live with it! And to you Linux advocates out there - clunky bolt-on x-windows interfaces will always be several steps behind in usability. Swallow your pride and recognise the fact that although it is easier to use an MS PC, it doesn't necessarily mean the user is dumber! Make that switch - XP is good for you. Think of all the time you will save from not having to recompile the OS kernel and fiddle with arbitrary text-based configuration files. You could even get some fresh air and exercise!

    Chris Beach - 7th February 2004 02:40 - #

  41. Hmm. Actually, Chris, I don't think you're right.

    'Microsoft invented UI consistency': The first computer manufacturer I ever came across who were concerned about UI consistency over third party applications were the UK's Acorn Computers -- their Style Guide set out how GUI applications should look and how the user should interact with them. This had the disadvantage of removing some flexibility but the massive advantage of promoting a consistent look-and-feel across the entire OS and making sure that if you did something a certain way in one package you'd probably be able to do it the same way in another one.

    There is still *no* consistency across third party Windows applications, and some of the inconsistencies within Microsoft's own products make me want to scream. I remember not so many years ago having to use different modifiers key to precisely position table borders and line drawings in Word, for instance. Their Usability Lab have improved things massively but is a comparatively recent enhancement (late 80s I think).

    Nick - 10th February 2004 09:52 - #

  42. MSN blows and all you little teeny boppers out there who love using it can keep using it but anyone who wants a program that actually serves a purpose than ICQ it is. I constantly debate people who think MSN is better. Although most people when asken why they moved to MSN reply "Because all my friends are on it." Well if thats the case then all your friends are stupid. The fun part about laying down a few insults is that all you MSNers get so defensive. Sounds to me like you guys really do know better.

    Lets briefly look at few ways that MSN blows:

    1. The number one reason MSN sucks is that you cant send offline messages. How could this be overlooked? I send offline messages daily if not hourly to people. Not everyone is online all the time. Sure, highspeed internet makes it more likely but if you want to message someone a short little message you dont have a prayer. This alone should make anyone with a bit of computer saavy want to ditch MSN.

    2. You can't dock MSN to the side of your screen. ICQ works beautifully sitting to the side of my scree and when I maximize other programs they fit around ICQ (if I so choose).

    3. ICQ isnt as invasive on your computer. It doesnt want to start up everytime you open explorer (I know you can turn that off) and if sends up those windows anytime someone comes online or sends a message. As mentioned above, ICQ simply has a blinking icon in the system tray. Thats all you need. Just because Im in MSN doesnt mean I want to talk to everyone all the time!

    4. The whole name changing thing. What are people thinking? Leave your name the same. Whatever happened to someone sticking to their handles. But that really comes down to not being able to leave AWAY messages like you can in ICQ. That is the way to tell people what you are up to. I dont care if you have a test the next day, or you are watching the OC. I just want to see your name with no confusion. I dont want to have to match email addresses with names. This relates more to the mindset of people who use MSN but the problem arises from the poor design of MSN.

    5. MSN is also way to bulky. It slows down your system and offers you nothing in return.

    I urge one and all to stand up and fight against MSN. I dont want people to say anymore that they are on MSN just because their friends are. We must take stand now. Why should we all migrate to this completely inferior program just to follow the crowd. Let's use an instant messaging program that works. One that gives us really useful options, instead of letting us put a picture beside our name. Lets vote for usability and functionality instead of aesthtics. Im sick and tired of MSN and for the record I have used MSN but have deleted it. ICQ will return. People will realize it. Let it start with you.

    The Hux - 13th February 2004 18:19 - #

  43. I think you are wrong about thinking MSN sucks, cos it dosen't. Maybe you should try MSN Messanger 6.1 instead. Its loads better. ANYWAY YOU STUPID!!!

    lissylossy - 13th February 2004 19:02 - #

  44. I think you are wrong about thinking MSN sucks, cos it dosen't. Maybe you should try MSN Messanger 6.1 instead. Its loads better. ANYWAY YOU ARE STUPID!!!

    lissylossy - 13th February 2004 19:04 - #

  45. Sounds like a typical MSN user to me.

    No points made at all. Good job.

    The Hux - 14th February 2004 08:20 - #

  46. After reading through about 1/3 of the comments to this post, and not actually reading the post because I just wanted to read funny comments, I was amazed at how foolish some people are, about complaining about people that complain about MSN. I think I speak for anyone who has replied to this blog that MSN could be much better, but is decent enough for me to be useing it. And for anyone here who feels that the people having higher standards than MSN should 'get a life,' that's just incredibly pitiful. If those people need a life, what are you doing wasteing your time on this? Just my ten cents :P

    Peter Goodman - 16th February 2004 21:29 - #

  47. ayer only just eard about this site but no way should you shut down msn are you sick in d head com on lad im from liverpool so if we avnt got msn it totly crap speek to me lads on claireabell90@o2.co.uk speek 2 yous lads in abit lar meet per fit birds by chatin 2 me kidderx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

    sexy claire - 19th February 2004 21:29 - #

  48. yeah i just wanted to say that U SUCK MNS IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    shannon - 24th February 2004 23:02 - #

  49. yeah msn blows.

    poo - 2nd March 2004 16:36 - #

  50. Um. Does anyone know of any MSN skins so that it looks a little less obvious on my desktop at work?

    john - 9th March 2004 13:07 - #

  51. One word: Bitlbee. I completely agree that the MSN Messenger client is a pile of... But what choice do most of us have when many friends and relatives use it? It's a bit like trying to do any serious work with an office suite that can't read m$ word files. If you're like me, and like the uniformity and added security of chatting through a proper IRC client (especially in the light of recent MSN Messenger exploits allowing attackers to take control of the entire windows box), then I suggest bitlbee. It is a linux IRC daemon that runs on a local server, allowing you to connect through any IRC client of your choice and create a global account, and then add sub-accounts on many different protocols (MSN included). Personally, I love it. I just click on X-Chat and (thanks to auto-exec commands) I'm automatically connected to icq, msn, yahoo, aim, etc, as well as my favourite irc chans. Here's a screenie from my desktop running bitlbee: http://www.muslim-woman.net/bitlbee_screenie.png Ahh, how sweet it is to restore sanity to my internet communication experience. Hope this helps. Peace.

    Jondab Ali - 19th March 2004 20:08 - #

  52. Why would you waste your time writing about how much something someone else made sucks? it's not like you could make anything any better..

    Me - 4th April 2004 02:01 - #

  53. Well, well, well... it's great for a TS rep to see how customers are even dumber off the phone when I'm not talking to them... let me see... all u ppl that complain bout WB interface... forget it! That's where we're headed, a long time ago... plus, as many ppl said, u customers are already MS slaves... it's either MSN, MSN Msg, Windows, wotever... get used to it and try to learn! Man, that's wot pisses me off... how come u get to be so dumb? I mean, the guy who posted the very first comment was complaining just because he COULD NOT SEE AN OPTION THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN... Sometimes we get some calls that... nevermind... like that guy "The Hux"... another thing: aren't offline msgs called EMAILS? Come on ppl, just use that lil piece of brain u have... Matthew said something about profiles... If MSN Msg had something like that, u customers would freak! You'd have a zillion issues wit that! And of course, u'd complain for that... anyway, here's the issue: I KNOW MS fucks up wit every single thing they put out, most of the times, I know that, almost everything that has a "MS" label on it sux... but u know wot's worse? If to that we add customer's stupidity we get a DEADLY combination... nuthin else to say rite now... but I got a lot of things to say... I like this and I think I'll post something else later, perhaps stupid calls I get :-D...

    MSNTS_Agent - 15th April 2004 06:57 - #

  54. sure, as if you even have a girlfriend, anyway wouldn't you and her have better things to do than mess with messenger?

    Alan - 19th April 2004 18:24 - #

  55. If you haven't already, you should probably download Messenger Plus from http://www.msgplus.net/. It adds a lot of needed features to Messenger, including the ability to rename your contacts. I'm finding some of the responses on this post quite amusing. You say something bad about Microsoft and all of a sudden you've got a flood of high school kids running about, shouting at you. That said, I'm a high school kid too. Oops.

    Anyway, I agree with a lot of what you said. Messenger lacks a lot of important functionality, and the interface is not at all nice. However, I can't say that I like any of the other IM apps out there much more. Yahoo seemed fairly horrible when I once tried it. ICQ seems bloated and also quite irritating, and I've used that quite a lot in the past. I don't dare touch AIM because of what the A stands for (who I believe now own Mirabilis, makers of ICQ). IRC is the other alternative that comes to mind, but I wouldn't stick that in the same category as the other apps mentioned. It's a different beast really.

    Good luck in overcoming the nighmare that is MSN Messenger, anyway.

    Jez - 19th April 2004 19:54 - #

  56. msn messanger is really amusing me this time. I click on sign in and it comes up you must download this latest msn to sign in. so i download it and again it comes up the same thing. so i click on no and again it comes bac up. Evuntually 10 mins later it signs me ion so y did it say i must doiwnlaod the new msn in the first place or i wouldnt get in and then let me in? Now it comes up everytime i wanna sign in and its annoyin me. So if any1 has an email address in which i may bitch at msn plz write it for me

    Marc Cassidy - 22nd April 2004 21:59 - #

  57. you people need to shut the fuck up, why bother reading this if u think msn doesnt suck? for fuck sakes fuck the fuck up! omg your all a pack of fuckgin whingers! anyways... are there ne netsluts who wanna add me? I PUT OUT! :D:D

    slayer666 - 27th April 2004 07:32 - #

  58. U PPL R SO FREAKIN FUNNY SAYIN STUFF BOUT HOW MSN SUCKS BUT I gotta say sumthin it doesn't if u think it does yall r just sum damn losers if u don't like it do sumthin else like not usin it, its that simple yall r sum gay ass freaks if u waste ur time writin bout how msn sucks cuz it don't ok yall just need 2 go do sumthin else and that dude prolly don't have a g/f and if he did she prolly left him cuz he was such a bitch on the computer talkin bout how msn sucks now that shit is uncalled 4 if u don't like it get a damn life im goin 2 talk on msn get a life!!!

    Katy - 2nd May 2004 23:38 - #

  59. i agree with most of the dross. msn keeps getting worse! the code gets bigger and bigger and eats resorces at an alarming rate. true to form, microf*ked's only advance is bigger code to do the same thing. i dont know or understand why microcrashed cant write the code propperly once and only update the slimey graphics as processor power allows.

    Mark - 3rd May 2004 20:53 - #

  60. Yall are just some computeer geeks!!! Just get a life and enjoy what you have!!!!

    Selena - 6th May 2004 03:39 - #

  61. u ppl who don't like msn need 2 go on extreme get a life makeover instead of extreme makeover and learn how 2 get a damn life so if u don't like msn go on it and mayb ull learn how 2 not use it if u don't like it ok cuz its da bomb!!!

    katy - 6th May 2004 03:46 - #

  62. MSN SUCKS BIG TIME Period

    Mike - 6th May 2004 05:52 - #

  63. whatever get a freakin life!!!

    Selana - 7th May 2004 02:55 - #

  64. U PPL NEED 2 GO SUMWHERE AND DON'T USE MSN IF U DON'T LIKE IT ITS FUN SO YALL NEED 2 GET A LIFE AND QUIT BEIN COMPUTER GEEKS ALRIGHT TAKE MY ADVISE AND GO USE IT AND NO IM NOT GETTIN A DICTIONARY IM NOT A GEEK LIKE YALL R 4 NOT LIKIN MSN SO YALL CAN KISS MY HOTT BUTT!!

    Katy - 7th May 2004 03:18 - #

  65. OO0O0O0O0O YEAH AND NO ONE GIVES A FLIP IF U HAVE FAN MAIL GET A STINKIN LIFE!!

    Katy - 7th May 2004 03:20 - #

  66. Yo katy u need to also get a life!!!!!!

    Selena - 7th May 2004 03:29 - #

  67. U THINK UR GONNA TELL ME 2 GET A LIFE.....WELL I HAVE ONE THE PROBLEM IS U HAVE 2 LIVE IN IT HAHA NOW.....U CAN KISS MY HOTT BUTT!! I KNOW WHERE U LIVE!!!

    katy - 7th May 2004 04:20 - #

  68. selena all i gots 2 say is that those pplz r jealous of u and all u need 2 do is shake them hatta's off!!! they just wish they were popular!!! alright now take my advise and don't 4 get "shake them hatta's off" holla gurl!!

    Katy - 7th May 2004 04:32 - #

  69. U PPL R FUCKIN RETARDED 4 NOT LIKIN MSN CUZ ITS THE COOLEST ITS LIKE SOOO KEWL IF U'D LEARN HOW 2 WORK IT U WOULD LIKE IT BUT OF COURSE YALL DON'T KNOW HOW 2 WORK IT LIKE A TYPICAL COMPUTER GEEK DON'T B SUCH SPOILED BRATS AND JUST GET ON W/ UR LIFE AND IF U DON'T LIKE MSN LEAVE THE PPL WHO LIKE IT THE FUCK ALONE WELL I GOSTA B GOIN BYE

    Katy - 7th May 2004 07:56 - #

  70. Burrrrrrr......listen up fools.........ya retarded little dooby sucking toots! WHO gives a fuck about how MSN sucks! What the hell is yall's deal! Yall must be some damn losers for wasting your precious time on telling people you don't even know how bad MSN sucks ass! To tell yall the truth it really doesn't! Because ya know you better be glad you can actually talk to people on the internet instantly! Pioneers in the olden days didn't do that, they had to wait several days to talk to someone because they had to walk several miles in the blistering sun, with no toilets or toilet paper and all that shit! they had to make paper airplanes and fly them to get the message! And hell, it probably didn't even get to them! Yall better be thankful, you spoiled bastards! Lovingly from your kind Sushi

    Sushi - 7th May 2004 08:01 - #

  71. You no what im seeing??? That everybody that agree's with simon uses such big words that people cant understand!!!!!!So u prolly read the dictionary while ur griping about msn !!!!!!

    Selena - 7th May 2004 15:07 - #

  72. I TOTALLY AGREE W/ SIMON U SEE SUM TIMES WEN I TRY 2 SIGN ON MSN IT WON'T LET ME BECAUSE IT SAYS IM OFFLINE WEN IM ONLINE BUT I DON'T SEE HOW U PPL DON'T LIKE IT BCUZ YALL DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT WORKS NOW THATZ A BUNCH OF BULL SHIT MSN IS GETTIN BETTER CUZ HTAT PROBLEM IS GETTIN FIXED ADN NO I SURE AS HELL DON'T READ NO DICTIONARY'S HOW BORING ALIGHT SO I GUESS I BESTA B GOIN BYE

    katy - 7th May 2004 16:06 - #

  73. SIKE I SURE AS HELL DON'T AGREE W/ SIMON MSN ROCKS!!

    katy - 7th May 2004 16:19 - #

  74. already katy good trick, had me fooled!!!

    Selena - 7th May 2004 22:02 - #

  75. well thanks i know i gots sum good tricks goin on

    katy - 7th May 2004 22:06 - #

  76. SIMON SHUT UP U NO% MSN IS WICKED JUST CUZ UR GAY AND U NO IT

    simon - 29th May 2004 22:36 - #

  77. dude....(simon) wen u wrote that were u talkin bout urself or is it another simon cuz i hope ur not talkin bout urself thatz just WRONG msn don't suck u suck mr simon who started this

    katy - 5th June 2004 20:27 - #

  78. Good Lord, is this what growing up using an internet chat applicaton as a primary method of communication does to your writing skills? I'd hate to be teaching college when these kids get there. Oh, wait... I will be. (sobs)

    Dan - 9th June 2004 16:10 - #

  79. Come on, Simon, these can't be real posts! Surely this is a parody of the MS booster squad! Either way, I'm doubled over in laughter at what I'm reading. :-D

    Brian - 17th June 2004 03:40 - #

  80. I like many others came across this website by accident (ie. googling). I finally realise how people have no understanding about software. Apart from the first few replies the rest is all junk.

    People coming up with things like msn is free. For God sakes its a protocol of course it's free. And if you think that messenger is free think again. (The only people that can say they have msn messenger for free are people that hold illegal copies if windows). I could see this webpage flashing with colors when I typed that.

    I believe the reason I see people writing such stupid replies is because they like me have got here by mistake, but they unlike me had nothing better to say :P

    I also realise that as many people are brain washed by Microsoft as by their political leaders (Bush). Well people, have fun and feel free to express yourself, no matter how much you feel the issue is small. Everything is a small deal until "you" make it a big deal.

    Zox

    Zoran - 20th June 2004 18:19 - #

  81. MSN AIM YAHOO and all the other chat programs all have there differences but there all good in there own little way and if your going to complain about them do something simple delete them and dont use them in fact dont even download them there problem solved. sad nerds argueing over some chat program LMFAO @ THAT

    There All Good You Nerds - 24th June 2004 04:12 - #

  82. LOL

    In reading the comments, I reached the fifth "Messenger is great so why don't you shut up" comment and jumped to add my own comments. I agree with the comment made that the people posting those comments are not your "usual type of readers."

    I think those Messenger users are taking things as they are and are thinking that because Messenger does its job then everything is okay. Yes, Messenger does its job, but it's not necessarily doing the job the most usable way.

    I too have thought about how there is no way for me to uniquely identify one item on my Messenger Contact List apart from the recent modification made that means I show display names (Friendly Names) or e-mail address. I can now group contacts into categories too. However, neither of those developments has sufficently solved the problem. I have a good memory for associating e-mail addresses with people - but not everyone does.

    The obvious solution would be for them to make it do-able for me to give e-mail addresses a unique name.

    So, for example:

    Let's say my friend Mr Iam Nobody has the e-mail address iamnobody@nowhere.com and his Messenger Friendly Name is "This is some quote I heard today that I'm using as my Messenger name."

    I set in the profile for iamnobody@nowhere.com that this address can be identified as "Iam." Tomorrow, Iam changes his Friendly Name to something completely different, but I can easily find him in my Contact List now!

    Taking this further, the unique identifier could have a "one-to-many" relationship. So, when one person is on my Contact List with more than one address I can make an association between them all. Taking it even further, I search for the unique name and I get a list of all the addresses I have.

    Lewis Henshall - 25th June 2004 23:33 - #

  83. and thats why your a nerd you stupid reject

    Stupid Nerds - 26th June 2004 21:39 - #

  84. MSN messenger for windows xp has a great interface, but you would think after buying their latest OS microsoft would at least move the giant ads (bigger than even that of AIM's) Too bad I hardly ever sign on to MSN. AIM is far more popular. I tried Trillian, but found it too buggy without paying for the Pro version, which, even then, only lasts you a year. So I just stick with AIMutation.

    izzio - 6th July 2004 16:22 - #

  85. UR ALL HYPOCRITES u say he is sad writing about msn messenger saying how shit it is but then u go on this site and r sad enough to write a message and sad enough to look for the site.....i no i am a hypocrite too but i am just makin a point here. Msn is o.k, alright its pretty crap but still useful if u wana talk to ur friends instead of phoning them. Most of my friends have only one phone line so even if i did try to phone them they wud be online on messenger so if everyone is using it it can't be that crap and to get in touch with them i have to use messenger.To solve this problem u shouldnt have made this site as it just makes people het up for no reason.... U R A CRANK goodbye em xxx

    Emz - 20th July 2004 20:53 - #

  86. yeah! i agree with emz, you are a CRANK!!!! but i do love cranks and fluffy kittens..... hmm....lol why is she so soft??? anyone have an answer to that nagging question??? well whatever......... LOVE U ALL PEACE OUT MY HOMIES

    freddy - 20th July 2004 20:57 - #

  87. This is the most hilarious post you have on your site, Simon. Half of the comments are ridiculously hard to read. Mainly because the posters don't know how to read:

    New lines are not converted to breaks; use paragraph tags instead.

    And what those posters say is hilarious. Their response to valid arguments is "omg u get a life cuz u r t3h stooppid!!!!" or "omg ur a nerd i dont care thatz y u r a nerd!!!!"

    Google is a wonderful thing. :)

    Tom - 29th July 2004 19:50 - #

  88. I agree, MSN messenger sucks. I think that fact that you cannot go invisible is the worst one. Whenever I log on to the internet it doesn't mean that I want to talk, but whenever I log on MSN does. So I end up getting barraged 24/7. Plus if I go immediately to MSN and sign out. In a matter of minutes it has me signed back in and I get it all over again. I much prefer Yahoo for my tastes. MSN should have a lot better features, its a shame.

    Daniel - 7th August 2004 14:06 - #

  89. I think this whole conversation is proof that people have lost all ability to actually communicate. What happened to a few pints at the local with mates? Instead half the worlds population huddles in front of computer screens. Even phonecalls are slightly more personal. Now I know that it can be useful to keep in touch with mates, but seriously some of you guys could do with getting out more, sunlight only kills vampires!!

    Joe - 13th August 2004 00:20 - #

  90. add me to msn winnie_200358@hotmail.com

    lucy - 3rd September 2004 14:04 - #

  91. OMG, this page is so hilarious to read. I hope it gets stored on some permanent medium somehow, so if there are any humans or other intelligent lifeforms left in 2000 years, they can read this and learn how not to communicate. I'm not talking here about using MSN to communicate, but about the 'conversation' on this page...

    Smurf - 6th October 2004 16:07 - #

  92. man simon you gonna get hacked now :D have a nice day

    n00b - 9th October 2004 20:17 - #

  93. DANG.. IF U DON'T LYK MSN MESSENGER THEN DON'T USE IT.. STUPID.....DAAAYUM.. GET A LYF

    cecilia - 12th October 2004 04:03 - #

  94. MSN, ICQ and AIM Sucks.

    Miranda-IM

    Dude - 18th October 2004 00:50 - #

  95. just because u are dumb to figure out how to log in as another user doesnt means msn sucks.

    Sandy - 2nd November 2004 06:25 - #

  96. Miranda-IM SUCKS BALLS AND WHISTLES... tried it once and deleted it after 30 seconds of use. And trillian has too many file-send problems. MSN Messenger lets me send to anyone anytime even though i'm firewalled.

    MasterChief - 12th November 2004 11:08 - #

  97. Wow, so this is wat ppl do when they have nothing to do wit their time, but its kinda funny to read! (Big shout out to all latinos!!!!!!)

    Latina Gansta - 13th November 2004 19:07 - #

  98. Dear Lord. Reading this page has destroyed my soul. People who can't spell or punctuate are telling others they are "dum" because they can't operate a computer programme. The idea that not being able to write comprehensibly in one's native language makes one seem a tad unintelligent oneself doesn't seem to have crossed their minds. It's baffling.

    Catriona - 27th November 2004 18:42 - #

  99. i love msn, i would not be able to live without its love.

    sarah - 9th December 2004 10:00 - #

  100. well i agree that msn sucks it doesnt have all the things and options it used to have like personal profiles and the option to send an email from the messenger website,... JUST ONE THING MSN CREATORS YOU REALLY MESSED UP THIS PROGRAM MAN YOU TRIEDD TO MAKE IT SOO FREAKIN GOOD AND MODERN" BUT YOU JUST CRAPPED IT UP SO LEAVE IT LIKE IT WAS WITH ALL THE OPTIONS IT HAD FROM THE BEGINING OR YOUR JUST GONNA LOSE A CRAP LOAD OF USERS ............................SINCERLY ME. I LOVE YOU KENNDRA!!!!!

    aaron - 22nd December 2004 05:23 - #

  101. I love it

    Mary - 24th January 2005 01:53 - #

  102. I love it

    Mary - 24th January 2005 01:54 - #

  103. I think MSN is a wonderful, safe way to communicate with friends and family, although i agree it does have it's flaws, but what doesn't? MSN has to be one of the most interesting ways of communication and I think we should be happy to have the privalidge of accessing it. Nothing is perfect, we just have to accept it for what it is.

    Marie - 27th January 2005 19:11 - #

  104. Why are some people so nasty about others? Why cant you just be nice for once? If people have an opinion, let them express it without getting a load of comments back like "you are stupid!" and all that. Fair enough if you dont agree, but cant ya just act polite and appreciative?

    Beth - 27th January 2005 19:29 - #

  105. I totally agree but due to all my friends having it there's no other way I can talk to them. So for now, MSN is boss.

    Tim - 8th February 2005 09:19 - #

  106. msn MESSenger sucks, just look at it tonight, it's impossible to log on here in Portugal coz of this worm thing goin on, the severs are all stuck. yahoo messenger is excellent, i just have to use msn coz all of my friends do so. but that doesnt mean msn is any better. almost everyone uses windows os, does that make it any better than linux?? hell no. screw msn MESSenger!

    Pedro - 8th February 2005 23:00 - #

  107. I just skipped reading the comments coz there were to many "be thankful for this application" and "it´s not that bad" or "stop using it" stuff (probably from M$ employees?) ? I have never used MSN messenger, so I can´t say if it sucks. But for sure I know that after every WinXP reinstall I have to get xp-antispy to be able to uninstall that #*?!% thing. Otherwise it will always lurk around my system tray. Even worse, after closing it manually it will appear again e.g. after I start OutlookExpress. If I close it right away, it complains that some of it´s features are currently used by other applications and therefore cannot be closed. WTF ?!? Trying to pose as useful or what ? What feature would that be ? To me it looks like the next level in trying to get useres to "acidentally" start using MSN messenger, and to freak out all those who don´t want to . Like me right now !! What a crap ! Most people will give up and therefore have no choice but to use it .. Even worse, they force you to use their NetPassport bullcrap along the way. I tried to sign on with my MSN name I have from trillian, but this just is not enough for MSN. This is another item on the list of "We will offer a product for free, have it preinstalled and integrate it into the system, even if there are better solutions on the market and hopefully the uniformed user will just use our software and others vendors will suffer" Like it was wit the Internet Explorer vs. Netscape Navigator. And ICQ and the Messenger. Now they added "If nobody wants to use our NETPassport then we will force usage with Messenger, and if somebody won´t use MSN we will stay in the tray, and if he closes it manually we will come back whenever he starts outlook and pretend we are providing some killer features" What I know fo sure is that I will now even cease to use OutlookExpress - probably much healthier on my system anyway. Firefox, Thunderbird and for Instant Messaging I use Trillian ! There you may sign on to MSN Messenger WITHOUT their stupid Passport ! Man I hate it when somebody tries to trick me into using something, especially when its microsoft.

    Karlheinz Grabowski - 12th February 2005 18:05 - #

  108. My comment is that this Netpassport has totalling done it for me. It wont even let me into my hotmail account just keeps throwing up match this picture, it is checking i am a human and not a machine apparently. The only problem is it never believes you are human and wont let you in - i have 25 unanswered emnail messages in my inbox that i cant get at. How frustrating is that? I am totally buggered havent got a clue what to do - all the help on msn and hotmail for that matter have a system where they answer your queries by - yes you have guessed it - by email whats that all about. Anyone got any good ideas i am only a novice at this computer shit and is is doing my head in?????? Help me please? I dont think i can get rid of this wonderful -not- netpassport so what shall i do?

    Helen Marshall - 13th March 2005 17:58 - #

  109. helen - go to www.hotmail.com and sign in your dumb bitch

    dave the darlek - 22nd March 2005 12:54 - #

  110. Hey Simon, just go to Jabber.org and find the client that you like best. I use JAJC, which lets you rename your contacts AND see their screenname/email at the same time. Like Trillian, you can have transports to different IM protocols, but you can also talk/send files/groupchat/etc over the native Jabber protocol. Unfortunately, due to the transport design, they only support the basics: single messages, group messages and avatars.

    charlie - 25th March 2005 22:30 - #

  111. I agree on both points and would like to add some of my own. 1. Unstable as hell. At one point I was being disconnected up to 10 times per day. 2. Inferior. ICQ and Jabber support offline messages, MSN doesn't. That's a BIG letdown to me. I like to keep my friends posted on current events even if they aren't online. Seriously. As some have already pointed out, Jabber is the way to go (though ICQ isn't bad either).

    MyNameIsRequired - 19th April 2005 18:53 - #

  112. I hope -- O merciful Universe, I hope -- this thread is full of people pretending to be incredibly stupid.

    No god - 25th May 2005 04:39 - #

  113. Get used to it because it isn't going to change?? Is that the same perspective you apply to world events and national politics? Is that what the education system teaches these days, that you can't make a difference? YIKES!!

    alarmed - 2nd June 2005 20:47 - #

  114. A lot of 12 year olds with vocabulary limitations seem to be posting on this site. "MSN Rocks!!" and "You suck", wow, I'm convinced.

    Personally I use Bitlbee, partly because I can handle my MSN and Yahoo accounts in the same window, but mainly because MSN is just too resource intensive. It also keeps signing me in without my knowledge at the most awkward times. I've got friends who are MSN freaks, and have no problems with that, but every reasonably advanced user I know simply doesn't like MSN. Yes its free (albeit, bundled), but so are Gaim, Trillian and XChat/Mirc. Anyway, whatever turns you on baby.

    Tyro - 9th June 2005 20:29 - #

  115. SAME EXACT ARGUMENTS I HAVE WITH PEOPLE. your a genius

    A - 28th June 2005 05:34 - #

  116. I read a comment somewhere on this page and it said "stop complaining, were lucky to have this technology". Whilst i agree, it would be better if a messenger program would put this technology to a more efficient, less frustrating, less annoying use etc. MSN does suck, the messenger program and the entire site.

    Ash - 22nd July 2005 13:57 - #

  117. I deeply dislike MSNM. What's the deal with HAVING to upgrade to a newer version? I mean, ok, YM7 is incompatible with older versions at sending files, but you can use older versions if you don't want to send anything. MSN doesn't allow you to log in unless you're using the latest version. I hate to have to update MSN every couple of months, installing a program that is becoming crappier with every version. More ads, more colors, more stuff stuck in a tiny window, etc. I'm telling you MSN Messenger is going down. DOWN! By the way, the latest upgrade also blocks Trillian now. Great.

    jason - 24th August 2005 00:37 - #

  118. oe tios , hablen mas claro ps, i en mi idioma , zanganaxos, no tienen otra cosa q hacer q star hescribiendo mamadas?? jajaj ahi nos vemos chau! bye saionara etc

    carlos - 10th September 2005 22:21 - #

  119. First of all it uses a propriatary protocall that is controlled by Microsoft, second of all, microsoft monitors all chat scrips, and gives all transcripts to the OPP and CSI. You can only connect to the Microsoft server. And finally, it's by Microsoft, and we all know that Microsoft sux ass, right?

    WINDOWS H8R - 20th September 2005 20:02 - #

  120. i HATE msn

    michelle - 14th October 2005 00:09 - #

  121. i tink ur talkin a load of bull coz if u av msn msnger plus then u can change da display names!!!!! >:(

    sarah - 24th October 2005 16:07 - #

  122. im 12 and i cant write for shit, OMG. msn deznt suck, you suck.

    haxx0r - 26th October 2005 03:45 - #

  123. Wow, this has got to be the longest lasting thread I have ever seen, started in 2002 and going almost to 2006. I can't say that MSN sucks or does not suck, in my opinion all software can use improvements. Bringing forward the issues with software is the only way to make it better in the future. I use MSN Messenger because most of my friends use msn, I also have Trillian installed. MSN does use a lot of system resources and with every release seems to use more and more. Personaly I don't like Microsoft at all, But I am going to college for web development so I am stuck using Microsoft products. (If I had my way, I would use Linux. Linux is free, You can run services on a linux box that would otherwise cost $2000 to $4000. Linux also has alternatives to MSN messenger and both Yahoo and ICQ have OEM distros for it and most linux distros also have AIM alternatives installed. There is even an alternative to Trillian you can run.

    Craig - 7th November 2005 03:15 - #

  124. Wow, this has got to be the longest lasting thread I have ever seen, started in 2002 and going almost to 2006. I can't say that MSN sucks or does not suck, in my opinion all software can use improvements. Bringing forward the issues with software is the only way to make it better in the future. I use MSN Messenger because most of my friends use msn, I also have Trillian installed. MSN does use a lot of system resources and with every release seems to use more and more. Personaly I don't like Microsoft at all, But I am going to college for web development so I am stuck using Microsoft products. (If I had my way, I would use Linux. Linux is free, You can run services on a linux box that would otherwise cost $2000 to $4000. Linux also has alternatives to MSN messenger and both Yahoo and ICQ have OEM distros for it and most linux distros also have AIM alternatives installed. There is even an alternative to Trillian you can run.

    Craig - 7th November 2005 03:16 - #

  125. hay u sound like my mum how old r u

    niks - 21st November 2005 19:42 - #

  126. This sight is a load of rubish. Me and my friends go on msn all the time and ur just moaning at it because uv got a rubish memory i can remember all my contacts addys. Why are you trying to shut it down because thats just wasting other fokes fun. if u dont like it dont go on it.

    Matt - 26th November 2005 10:02 - #

  127. Tyro ur thick if you dont want it to sign u in automaticly then change it in the settings duhhhhhhh. how thick do u get.

    Matt again - 26th November 2005 10:13 - #

  128. Well if u dont like it fuck off n dont go on it god no1 realli cares wat u think

    katie - 26th November 2005 19:20 - #

  129. Why are people so defensive of MSN? It seems that most people really just like that MSN connects them to their friends... and that's great... but a great deal of these people aren't adding anything to the discussion, only insults. Even the post that started this thread was based in logic, and not just opinion. If your post is full of insults and no argument, you're actually giving more credit to the opposing view... Personally, I've been having a huge amount of problems with MSN lately, ever since I was forced to update to a new edition.

    Besides the normal not being able to sort by name (it's great to be able to sort by e-mail address... but what if you want to know people by their names? Or be able to see what their name is while still knowing what they're thinking)... the new version just lets people write a whole paragraphs as their name... now on two different lines.

    With the new version I can't message people unless they message me first, or unless I message them within 15 min of signing in. The same problem applies to sending or recieving files, I can only do this if I've signed in within the last 15 min. I have no problems with sending files under any other IM system, or IRC, and I've tried about every firewall setting available, including no firewall, so I don't think it's my connection, and based on the stats of my system, there's no way it's hardware limitations.

    I'll admit that there's a lot of interesting features, playing games, winks, whiteboard, etc... but I find that they would be a lot better if they worked properly all the time... which they don't. It seems like microsoft was so eager to improve their product... and are always so eager to show people the new improvements that they force people to see these improvements and force people to upgrade to these new versions that they haven't taken time to perfect the original products, and haven't listened to the complaints people have about them.

    I cannot wait for the next thing to comes along to replace it... sure it's free... but so are a lot of superior programs. The only reason people use it is because it came with windows, it was simple and most people didn't bother to go out and find something else. Now it's just majority rules... but people need to realize that the majority isn't always doing the right thing... The only reason I still sign on to MSN is because so many people I know use it. And if it wasn't for these people I would uninstall it forever. I know I'll get a lot of insults for this comment, but part of me hopes that they start charging people to use MSN, maybe that will force people to look around to see which products are actually superior and make an informed decision... instead of just following the crowd.

    SomeGuy - 30th November 2005 01:13 - #

  130. i agree that msn can be really gay sometimes. like when it signs me out randomly when the "service is too busy" i mean seriously, thats gay..and i on my computer it wont let me check my hotmail emails. grrr.

    elise - 10th December 2005 06:15 - #

  131. GRRR MSN is so unstable! one day it will work fine, then the next it won't let you sign on. Most of the time my contacts can't see the messagews I send! If there was another alternative as popular as MSN, I would go for it.. but everyone has msn so I gotta use it :(

    Elina - 20th December 2005 16:39 - #

  132. msn is bein really annoyin l8tley (msn plus) is has not let me talk to any of my contacts and blockes them out temporerily

    tom - 21st December 2005 15:50 - #

  133. hiya i think msn messanger is soooo annoying because i tried to get the msn 7.5 but it wnt allow me to! im gettin seriously pissed off! and i askd me mam if she can try n get it coz shes a computer whizz n she just sez ooo im not sure but she does kno because she has done it before! SHES GAY! lol! bi bi xox i went on this site to see if it would help me get it but its more of a h8 website but its stil gd! xox

    paige - 21st December 2005 19:39 - #

  134. hey girls im miles im 15 male and i have a webcam im very dirty and like 2 do certain things so if u a dirty girl and u have a cam 2 add me :D my addy is Big_Friendly_Giant@hotmail.co.uk add me and i will pleasure u!

    miles - 24th December 2005 15:33 - #

  135. "zomfg if ure gona h8 mSn den ur a d1cksuxx0r."

    "im 12 and i cant write for shit, OMG. msn deznt suck, you suck." made me smile because it's true. A lot of 12 year olds that use MSN can't type for shit.

    1. The first thing I have to say is... for those defending MSN Messenger whose first language is english, at least do it some respect and type in such a way that doesn't offend every english-speaking person on the planet.

    2. I use MSN virtually every day, I'm accustomed to it, I know it's ins and outs and stupid Microsoft quirks (including the way that, even if you're in england, talking to someone else in england, it still connects to a server in San Jose or something. It's not as if Microsoft can't afford to put a server in england) I hate it but I have to live with it because Microsoft has the monopoly here. I use trillian every so often but it simply doesn't facilitate the addons such as Messenger Plus! (msgplus.net) that make MSN life so much more worth living.

    3. Finally, MSN doesn't support offline messages. Let me tell you why I think it doesn't support it. MSN can hardly stay online and stable at the best of times, it's shit-for-brains developers simply have no idea what job the server administrators have to do, do they? It sounds easy, sitting on your backside, turning a server machine on, sitting there letting it do it's job, maybe the occasional repair, upgrade, etc. No. Server administrators have to deal with all the quirks that every messenger client throws at it, all the new features that the developers think it would be cool to include (Winks are so bloody annoying). Require a new piece of server software, probably shoddily-written and rushed into a fixed release-date, as is microsoft-style. And the admins have to fix it and restart it with as little disruption as possible.

    Right. I'm done attacking the eternally-wise MSN Messenger and it's little 10-15 year old can't-type-for-shit ignorant minions. Have a nice day.

    oops - 27th December 2005 18:17 - #

  136. Oh yeah MSN sucks. 1. theres no way off sending offline messages 2. You cant send multiple files 3. i didnt ask for all the f**king blinking animated commersial GUI shit. 4. Theres no good way of finding users 5. the security sucks, as usual when Microsoft is involved I've been using ICQ and MSN since the start. And MSN just keep getting worse for every version, with new bells and commersial whistles that nobody asked for. I've been using Mirand IM for both ICQ and MSN for a year now. It works just fine.

    R - 28th December 2005 10:33 - #

  137. WHY DOES MY STATUS SAY THAT IM OFFLINE WHEN I'M ACTUALLY ONLINE???????? GET MSG PLUS AND STUFFPLUG DER A FECKIN BEAST!!!!!

    R to da IZZO - 3rd January 2006 20:28 - #

  138. me and my friends have been using MSN messnger daily for at least 5 hours per day for the last 3 billion years, it does not suck... for a start, you can't do highly amusing animated emoticons in Trillian.

    EvilPhil - 7th January 2006 15:28 - #

  139. We have been using MSN for so many millions of billions of hours now that we no longer need to communicate using the text option, we use our own custom animated emoticons and occasionally use hand drawn images to communicate, thus rendering the keyboard next to useless. Infact I no longer have a keyboard and am able apply the more traditional and might I say primative character type purley through the power of thought. It is thanks to MSN that I have achieved this higher level of being. We don't even have eyes anymore ! what use are they anyway ? p.s. Trillian has it's uses, but it cannot replace MSN just yet.

    Ant Noeyes - 7th January 2006 15:48 - #

  140. I made the other two write that, just by thinking it.

    Mr Mike - 7th January 2006 15:50 - #

  141. The number of comments from "hardcore" MSN Messenger users is just hilarious. If you're unhappy or annoyed about a product or service, would you keep quiet and just continue to use it, regardless?

    What's the point of using something that is inferior, slow, bulky and bug-ridden when you don't have to? No matter how much unintelligible wit is said about MSN Messenger, such as, "OMFG you sux man!!! MSN RULES!!!", it is all rubbish.

    MSN Messenger is pointlessly huge, bloated, slow, cumbersome and frustrating. I totally agree with Simon: the interface is like a tacky web page and the ability to give contact's your own nickname is really quite essential. It wouldn't be if Microsoft's own design promoted intelligent use.

    I think a cross-platform IM client that can handle text, audio and video messaging and file transfers would be completely adequate for almost everyone's needs. None of the imposing flashing emoticon rubbish.

    James Greenwood - 8th January 2006 10:47 - #

  142. I think that MSN Messenger sucks big hairy balls. Anyone saying otherwise should perhaps look at other applications and compare these. I prefer Windows messenger to MSN Messenger, and I prefer Trillian to Windows messenger.

    Herbert - 9th January 2006 21:21 - #

  143. Haha, wow. "OMG msn rox dont wine you hax"

    Seriously though, I am amused that a blog entry from 2002 is still true. Bad UI design for the win, I guess.

    Jonathan - 10th January 2006 19:00 - #

  144. What is a good alternative, which will use MSN server?

    Tuz - 11th January 2006 03:04 - #

  145. Good god im with ya man we ghot msn 7.0 now but it completely sux takes a shitload of time to load and a lto of other things like 2 mb space :@ i only use it cos a lot of my friends use it if not id use anything else everyday like Xfire

    David - 16th January 2006 23:42 - #

  146. Looks like now, we're pretty much boiled down to the 'hardcore' MSN users that would use something else if it wasn't for the fact Messenger Plus! is only compatible with MSN/Windows Messenger. There's too many features I'd like to keep from MSN messenger to move to Trillian completely. As soon as I work out how to use .deb packages on Ubuntu, I think I'll be all set, apparently the 0.95 version of aMSN supports a lot of MSN features...? I don't know yet.

    oops - 17th January 2006 22:57 - #

  147. "WHY DOES MY STATUS SAY THAT IM OFFLINE WHEN I'M ACTUALLY ONLINE???????? GET MSG PLUS AND STUFFPLUG DER A FECKIN BEAST!!!!!"

    "DANG.. IF U DON'T LYK MSN MESSENGER THEN DON'T USE IT.. STUPID.....DAAAYUM.. GET A LYF"

    "SIMON SHUT UP U NO% MSN IS WICKED JUST CUZ UR GAY AND U NO IT"

    Please. Stop. Posting.

    Two years on and this page is still recieving replies from people who cannot even provide a valid counter-point.
    I am now going to save this page to disk because it is a great from of ego boosting.

    As freddy so clearly put, "LOVE U ALL PEACE OUT MY HOMIES".

    Will - 21st January 2006 23:10 - #

  148. i disagree with you. and my butt hurts. lol.

    max - 24th January 2006 17:13 - #

  149. OMG I'M TOO LAZY TO HOVER MY MOUSE OVER THE NAME!!111 SO TERRIBLE, SO TERRIBLE! You are pathetic. Get a life.

    Hahaha - 28th January 2006 04:02 - #

  150. u all suxx msn roolz

    Girly Girl - 28th January 2006 04:04 - #

  151. After 3 years, people are still talking... GET MSN8!!!, you can set custom names, it looks good. You can leave messages for people offline, another nice new feature. I don't see how MSN can be bad at this point. It even comes with options to change or turn of noises, stop those annoying nudges and winks from auto playing.

    LiquidFox - 29th January 2006 17:34 - #

  152. luk ur al slagin msn off but if u h8 it so much u wudnt even av ad tym 2 ryt in eya! simon u and ur bird live sad lives wot wer u doin on msn wilst u wer wiv ur bird id slap a lad if i was wiv im n e sed lets go on msn!!!! ur a sad fuck and need 2 get a life! iv got problems wiv mine evryday bt i dont make sum big fukin deal out of it. delete it if u dnt lyk it maybe den u cud get on wiv ur sad sorry life!!!!!!!!!!!

    cherise - 29th January 2006 19:03 - #

  153. i am sexy i will so mi dick on cam if ya fit so add mi now

    mark - 4th February 2006 18:20 - #

  154. omg liek y r u all stikin up 4 msn itz crap. pls will u al lern 2 splel properly like this. MSN speak is so bad to ready, plus it's bad training for office work. MSN does suck, I don't have any choice in the matter, that's why I still use it. Mark, you are probably not sexy and I will go blind if I see any part of your anatomy, partly because I'm a straight male, and partly because you're trying too hard.

    oops - 5th February 2006 16:48 - #

  155. OK U PPL ARE MESSED UP IN THE HEAD IF U THINCK MSN messenger is good... IT SUCKS BIG TIME !!! IN FACT THE ONLY REASON I AM HERE IS BECAUSE I CAN"T SIGN IN ON MSN AT THIS MOMENT... AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPENS !! IT"S ALSO GAY BE CAUSE IT"S GOT CAPS ON FILE SHARING>>>> IT"S ALSO GAY BECAUSE IT OFTEN CRASHES AND FREEZES FOR an uknown REASON>>> YOU THINKING I AM THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS CRAP ??? WELL NO I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE, IN FACT 11 of MY OTHER BUDDIES THAT USE MSN MESSENGER EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEMS>>>. SO THE CONCLUSION IS: MSN IS GAY AND THE ONLY REASON PPL USE IT, IS DO TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS NOTHING BETTER AVAILABLE AT THIS POINT>>>. YAHOO MESSENGER IS EVEN MORE GAY THAN MSN... GOOGLE MESSENGER IS WAY 2 NEW.. AND PLAIN.. ALSO MSN MESSENGER DOES NOT HAVE THE OPTION OF "GROUP CHAT" LIKE THE SOFTWARE "TEAM SPEAK"

    ANDREW - 8th February 2006 20:34 - #

  156. chupame la polla!!!

    puto - 15th February 2006 00:18 - #

  157. Why cant i receive any text messages from a mobile phone onto my yahoo or msn account. I dont understand, I can send them out, but i cant receive them?? anyone who can help - pllzzz do!

    Monnie - 16th February 2006 19:52 - #

  158. omg liek you ALL suck msn sucks and msn doesn't suck 'liek OMG I AM A TEEEEEEEEEEEEERD!'

    jgbfdh - 25th February 2006 06:43 - #

  159. Hi folks have got 2 teenage daughters and they are msn mad!!! they spend all day with their school friends then get home from school and turn the pc on and talk to them via msn!!! I quess if it had been about when i was that age i would have done the same.

    julie - 26th February 2006 10:47 - #

  160. QUOTE: look stop complaining were lucky we even got this technololgy this whole arguement is a waste of time enjoy what u have and stop whinging!!!!!! emma - 11th July 2003 01:05 - # stfu bitch

    jeremey (teh_pwnerer) - 7th March 2006 20:39 - #

  161. Several frusterating seconds? You stupid arrgoant fuck. if i could I would kick you in the balls 10 times. piece of shit. -sp

    Craig - 9th March 2006 03:21 - #

  162. miranda really sucks. it's impossible to use for normal people. psi is ok but there aren't enough translations.

    Anonymous - 10th March 2006 09:23 - #

  163. ICQ had it all, but then came the built-in MSN...

    With ICQ it was also possible to send messages to people offline (useful because many never check the email used for the MSN account).

    What about the file transfers with no resume, the messages with no timestamp?

    The good thing of MSN is that is so widespread, but it's a technological backstep.

    Tety - 22nd March 2006 02:13 - #

  164. You're all jus geeks the first quote bout msn was in 2002 an ur all still arguin bout msn i only found this site coz i wer bored an lookin on google for shit to do an uve managed to argue for 4 years about msn. fukin rejects. go get laid or sumthin.

    Lucky - 23rd March 2006 17:14 - #

  165. MSN is pretty cool, but ive been using it for 4 years and I can say it SHOULD NOT be an alternative to phone, or real contact. MSN can make you isolated from the real world. On IM's you experience a heightened sense of freedom as you do not worry about things in real time contact, such as rejection as it is o nly in text. This can have a BIG negative effect on your real social skills! Anyway...I use MSN and yeah its pretty cool. A lot of my friends go on it as well. Apparently, nearly 50% of canadians under 18 population use MSN IM too! Anyway yeah got nothign else to say bye bye.

    JW - 26th March 2006 18:15 - #

  166. "luk ur al slagin msn off but if u h8 it so much u wudnt even av ad tym 2 ryt in eya" sad.. sad.. wtf does that mean, go read a dictionary. GOTO English CLASS

    wtf - 1st April 2006 19:05 - #

  167. its pretty imprsssive really i came across this post like about a yr ago anyway this is my opinion on the matter which one should note was strted when msn 5 was around now its msn 7.5 i agree it does suk. however 98% of my friends have it so i have no choice the trillian argument (or other clinet) is a good one however the reason I dont use it or any other thing is that so =far none of the others have implimented webcam convos, vid conf, or audio conf. which is what would need to happen before i switch on msn i hate winks, nudges, spaces, voice clips, ANIMATED EMICONS,custom emicons, going back to the originaly argument of i cant rename them 0- yes this is a design flaw - i use msnger plus... good pieces of software personally i prefer skype or google talk.... google talk i predict will take over the whole IM scene soon... DB

    db - 1st April 2006 19:48 - #

  168. Can't we all just get along?

    Joe - 4th April 2006 00:12 - #

  169. HOW SAD R U LOT? IF YOU DONT LIKE MSN - DONT USE IT AND DEAL WITH IT!!!! IDIOTS - - - :@

    waza - 5th April 2006 16:47 - #

  170. hey hey hey it sucks

    randolph - 6th April 2006 00:52 - #

  171. why bother you should be happy for it is a way to keep you motavated and alive you should be happy about this technology and it dosent suck it rules!

    Aidan - 11th April 2006 19:06 - #

  172. Why do this website. Know ones hurt or ingered or nothings gone rong. Its another fun way to comunicate and i thinkthat they should keep msn and make it better so evrybody can be happy and then you can stop groaning aswell! Chelcie Is Da Best

    Chelcie Henry-Robertson - 11th April 2006 19:13 - #

  173. ur an idiot how dumb can ya get and if ya dont like it dont use it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

    harry - 15th April 2006 04:22 - #

  174. right lets be honest... -it is a free service -it is better than anything u guys have ever made -if u start a blog about y msn sucks...u havent got ebough friends to have msn...and u certainly dont have a g/f -the only reason i am writing this cos crap like this blog comes as a 'result' in a search engine when u try to do research for an english AS iece of coursework...get a life simon wilson

    tim - 15th April 2006 17:06 - #

  175. I hate msn because of MSN Error 14. It is the error that states you have reached your maximum sign ins and i only sign in once a day! I am pissed of at the fact tht i cant sign in because of it! It is BULLSHIT. I have called them and they dont do shit. MSN sucks BIG TIME

    jon - 15th April 2006 23:30 - #

  176. hello, please could someone tell me how to stop msn block checker, it keeps popping up in my converstations and its really annoting, how do i stop it, wahhhh!!!

    beanzie - 16th April 2006 18:10 - #

  177. doesnt matter, i found it yaaayy!!

    beanzie - 16th April 2006 18:46 - #

  178. for the pass 2 two weeks i cant send or receive any messages and as i work from home this is very important to use the inter net

    Cynthia green - 17th April 2006 14:13 - #

  179. u all say msn is shit but u all got it

    k - 26th April 2006 15:05 - #

  180. it was shit

    natasha - 29th April 2006 10:26 - #

  181. Fag.

    Doody - 30th April 2006 17:33 - #

  182. Dear Mr/Mrs msn staff !! I would like to alert you about a very serious matter that i have discovered whilst using the msn messenger. You are being very offensive by naming you emoticon that wears glasses "nerd smile" I am very concerened for the feelings of others who wear glasses, such as myself ! and would prefer if you could call it something a little more practical such as : "glasses smile" "smile with glasses" "spectacle smile" "geek smile not because of glasses" "learning smile" "educational smile" and so on.. I hope you can change this for there are many other views on this matter i am sure! but i feel te feelings of others matter. And it is not a compliment to be called a nerd for having a mear dissability !! your sincerely

    Emily - 1st May 2006 21:29 - #

  183. Ok...: If you think MSN's protocol is a mess, and you're such a "smart and talented and knows how to program very mature and doesn't like microsoft" piece of... some word here, as no word in the english dictionary can describe you, make your own program to connect to the MSN protocol! It's not that hard to make one, so if you're such a "power user" then make one.

    settling this - 4th May 2006 12:38 - #

  184. That's retarded. msn isn't bad! Everyone has fun talking to their friends on it without running up the phone bill. If your so worried about it, then don't get msn. AND SHUT THE HELL UP. P.S. NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU THINK. -audry

    Audry - 7th May 2006 17:10 - #

  185. audry, you smell, shut the fuck up you arse face

    hello - 8th May 2006 19:23 - #

  186. i just want to download msn 7.5 messanger without any passport stuff cause i cant add them to my msn contact chat list

    robert - 8th May 2006 20:06 - #

  187. robert! i dont kow what to do!!! arrrggghhh

    hello - 9th May 2006 22:09 - #

  188. Try Google Talk, it rules.

    Excessive - 11th May 2006 01:10 - #

  189. so what would you recomend?

    mitch - 11th May 2006 02:28 - #

  190. It's absolutely amazing that the comments to this blog post have continued quite steadily for nearly four years. If we took out the comments which are just pointless drivel, there'd be hardly any left!

    For the person who suggested developing an instant messaging application that ran on the MSN protocol/network, why would you do that? The protocol is very similar to the official client: slow, inefficient, buggy and confusing.

    Personally, I think a lot of the hardcore MSN Messenger users who have posted have been cultured to be how they are and Microsoft have encouraged this by creating an absolutely awful application.

    I hope no more incomprehensible and utterly pointless posts are made. This is the second time I have Googled for "msn messenger sucks". Guess where the first one got me? ;)

    James Greenwood - 11th May 2006 21:39 - #

  191. Why don't we go back to the days of eight track tapes, black and white tv, antennas instead of cable, no computers, and big hulkin' cars that ran on leaded gas and got 10 mpg? No one would then say MSN sucks since there wouldn't be MSN or computers.

    Bitchy Betty - 12th May 2006 18:38 - #

  192. MSN IS MINT!!!!

    Alex - 13th May 2006 14:59 - #

  193. alex get a life you arse

    hmmm - 14th May 2006 17:17 - #

  194. Those points arn't really valid points, I wouldn't say there an issue to msn, You should be talking about the service and the network of MSN and it's slow performance and it's server downtimes. Msn is just bad news all together.

    ironmaiden6669 - 16th May 2006 20:49 - #

  195. ummm i hate to brake it you all but the reason people are having some their problems is that msn and mircosoft dont get along so when there differences clash problems start to happen plus the fact that mircosoft has teribel customer serivce they will ignore your pleas and avoid that the problem also some of your problems may be with your internet providers browser i had to get rid of my messenger because the internet provider i use is having server and browser problems so maybe if you changed your provider the problems will be few and far between as far as log in problems and e-mail log in problems and yes it has problems with hackers stealing your passwords if you use safari and are having problems with your msn messenger and hotmail change your provider

    molly - 19th May 2006 05:35 - #

  196. 3 years later...you can now set nicknames for your contacts (windows live messenger) so that you see only what you enter - ie real names. Hyperlinks still exist, but you've no doubt got used to them by now.

    acidphosphatase - 19th May 2006 16:48 - #

  197. I never had those problems. God forbid you took 2 seconds to hover over their name OMG "I HAV 2 WAYT 2 SECNDZ TO C DA EMAIL ADDRS OMG OMG" Seriously, shut up. Stop bitching about it and delete it if it sucks.

    Dot - 26th May 2006 06:34 - #

  198. y dont all u dumbasses who are bitchin bout msn shut the fuck up and go use yahoo or some utter dumb gat thing that lets u talk. if u cant do that then call ur friends instead of talkin to them on msn and bitchin bout u dont know who they are cuz they changed their name use a fone or kwitcha bitchin what if we didnt have msn then would u complain bout the internet or what if we didnt have email or the internet at all then would u complain cuz u have to punch numbers into this stupid talkie thing just to talk to ur friends. if u aint got hardly any money like me u wouldnt complain so u fuckers that bitch bout stuff must be rich. u who whine are gunna be mine so i can kick ur ass. and if u are to stuck up to shut up then go ahead and whine but everyone like me that accepts what they have and dont complain you rock my world and u prolly think these guys r whine asses too but all u peeps that bitch and whine go ahead but peeple wont like u