Got a problem with Messenger? Visit our community forums and our members will help you with your problem.Too far now: Messenger blocks links to ebuddy.com
on Sat 12 Apr 2008 (12:13 GMT)
on Sat 12 Apr 2008 (12:13 GMT)
Microsoft have been known for blocking links stupidly in the past. But I think this one takes the bullet ... you can now longer receive links to to the hit web messenger eBuddy within Messenger! mess.be had this to say on the issue:
Microsoft have made a mistake from blocking things from day one, it is an inefficient system that was poorly coded and even made Messenger slower. Blocking one of the most successful services to take advantage of their product was an error of judgement and like I said last week Microsoft don't seem to be pleasing those who work closely with their products.
>> Source: mess.be
A considerable number of people may have, for whatever reason, reported the popular web-based IM client through the Report abuse option that's sitting in every "Help" menu since version 8.1. But I'm not even seeing those hardly annoying, automated "I'm using eBuddy.com!" messages anymore.
Or perhaps Microsoft just accidentally blocked the site of a competitor... again. But while last week's mistake was corrected in less than a day, the ban on eBuddy.com has first been noticed by Messer Bram already last Wednesday.
Either way, it's probably yet another example of a safe URL being blocked as part of Messenger's inefficient worms and SPIM filter. Both parties were contacted and I'm awaiting their reaction.
Or perhaps Microsoft just accidentally blocked the site of a competitor... again. But while last week's mistake was corrected in less than a day, the ban on eBuddy.com has first been noticed by Messer Bram already last Wednesday.
Either way, it's probably yet another example of a safe URL being blocked as part of Messenger's inefficient worms and SPIM filter. Both parties were contacted and I'm awaiting their reaction.
Microsoft have made a mistake from blocking things from day one, it is an inefficient system that was poorly coded and even made Messenger slower. Blocking one of the most successful services to take advantage of their product was an error of judgement and like I said last week Microsoft don't seem to be pleasing those who work closely with their products.
>> Source: mess.be
Were we breaking the law? Our downtime explained ...
on Sat 05 Apr 2008 (16:16 GMT)
on Sat 05 Apr 2008 (16:16 GMT)
If this post sounds bitter, it's because I'm angry right now. Last night the main website was down for 11 hours due to a formal DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) notice regarding allegedly infringing content on the website. This was sent by Microsoft concerning this news post.
The post listed details on the first news of Windows Live Messenger 9, back in January 2007! As a result my web host, Dreamhost was forced to take down Messenger Stuff until the content was removed. I was outraged (not at Dreamhost, they were just following the law), but at Microsoft for issuing this DMCA notice for talking about upcoming software. It later turns out the news post was not the issue, but comments within them, revealing links to the beta.
I must stress I cannot control what people post in comments, this is the Internet! I do get a lot of spam comments and I do go through them as delete as much of them as possible, including those of copyright material of leaked betas (I really do). What annoys me the most is Microsoft simply went straight to the DMCA notice instead of contacting me politely on the issue of which I would have complied in the fullest way. My email address is in my WHOIS information of which they would have had to access in order to contact Dreamhost!
The lack of working with me on the issue is what hurts. I always thought msgstuff.com had a good relationship with Microsoft and the fact they can't ask my nicely to remove content, which I find impossible to control is mind boggling. To put this simply Microsoft went step to step 3 instead of step 1. My opinion is that they are abusing their power and hurting their relationship with those who talk about their products and that's a huge mistake for any company.
Back in 2003 Microsoft did this to Neowin, over a feedback post listing links to XP Peer-to-Peer Software Development Kit (SDK).
I only hope that this does not happen again as I simply can't control what you want to say. Now I know this post is very rant like and bitter, but I am 'ticked-off' to say the least over the issue especially as this could of been a much simpler matter.
To top it all, if you visit the deleted post, Google ads still provide you with links to the beta (I guess that's my fault too).
So what do you my readers think of this problem? Were Microsoft in the right to take down my website and am I just overreacting to the whole issue?
P.S. Don't post any links to leaked betas in this or any other post.
The post listed details on the first news of Windows Live Messenger 9, back in January 2007! As a result my web host, Dreamhost was forced to take down Messenger Stuff until the content was removed. I was outraged (not at Dreamhost, they were just following the law), but at Microsoft for issuing this DMCA notice for talking about upcoming software. It later turns out the news post was not the issue, but comments within them, revealing links to the beta.
I must stress I cannot control what people post in comments, this is the Internet! I do get a lot of spam comments and I do go through them as delete as much of them as possible, including those of copyright material of leaked betas (I really do). What annoys me the most is Microsoft simply went straight to the DMCA notice instead of contacting me politely on the issue of which I would have complied in the fullest way. My email address is in my WHOIS information of which they would have had to access in order to contact Dreamhost!
The lack of working with me on the issue is what hurts. I always thought msgstuff.com had a good relationship with Microsoft and the fact they can't ask my nicely to remove content, which I find impossible to control is mind boggling. To put this simply Microsoft went step to step 3 instead of step 1. My opinion is that they are abusing their power and hurting their relationship with those who talk about their products and that's a huge mistake for any company.
Back in 2003 Microsoft did this to Neowin, over a feedback post listing links to XP Peer-to-Peer Software Development Kit (SDK).
I only hope that this does not happen again as I simply can't control what you want to say. Now I know this post is very rant like and bitter, but I am 'ticked-off' to say the least over the issue especially as this could of been a much simpler matter.
To top it all, if you visit the deleted post, Google ads still provide you with links to the beta (I guess that's my fault too).
So what do you my readers think of this problem? Were Microsoft in the right to take down my website and am I just overreacting to the whole issue?
P.S. Don't post any links to leaked betas in this or any other post.
April Fools: Skinning offically coming to Windows Live Messenger?
on Tue 01 Apr 2008 (14:46 GMT)
on Tue 01 Apr 2008 (14:46 GMT)
First of all I am aware this is April 1st, and frankly it's hard to believe anything at the moment, but sometimes 'rumor is just as powerful as fact'. Willz, one of the most active skinners for Messenger has posted news regarding Windows Live Messenger 9 at his blog:
My opinion is that IF Microsoft are creating a skinning feature, it would be rushed and poorly implemented like most features of Windows Live Messenger thus making Messenger Plus! Live's engine superior. But what's the point of me even having an opinion on this day, it could be made up. Then again I believed the Windows Live Messenger 8.0 design was a fake. I guess we will just have to wait.
>> Source: Design Evolved
Well there we go boys and girls we finally have a reason for the delay in the next build of Windows Live Messenger 9.0. Microsoft has been working on a new feature which will change things drastically in the skinning world. Just a couple of minutes ago I received an email from the Windows Live Messenger team which has invited me to test the upcoming Windows Live Messenger 9.0 beta version which will feature none other than skins.
Ill share these details now since they didn't say that I couldn't post this but I'm sure they'll catch on soon enough and I will have to remove this post. So listen up!
Microsoft has been watching skins closely for quite some time now, in fact they started observing my stuff when I released the first version of Ev0 (yeah its freaky people at Microsoft actually tried something that breaks their own EULA..... irony).
Anyway after seeing Messenger Plus! 4.50 launch they saw how much interest there was in skinning and decided to try and implement an official system. At this point their system is apparently working and a new version of WLM 9.0 beta will be offered to butterflies within the next 2 weeks.
But don't think it is good news now, because there is more to this than meets the eye. Whilst official skins may be coming they come at a cost. Yes a cost. Microsoft will be implementing the same system they used for Winks and Dynamic Display Pictures where only developers who pay the license fee for the digital signature will be able to create skins.
So could this mean skinners could implement flash content into their skins? Quite possibly. But sadly this means the average person will not be able to make skins (apparently I will be able to get my hands on a license though because of my history with skinsBig).
Furthermore new "Premium skins" will also be introduced for paying customers which will feature a Windows Live Messenger without ad's.
Yep thats right Microsoft has been keeping tabs on how people remove ads and have come to the conclusion that people want a client without ad's. So they have come up with this new premium Messenger system to allow this (but hey we will get around that too huh Tongue)
So how does this affect Plus! Skinning? From what I have been told, the next Windows Live Messenger 9.0 is built from the ground up so all the techniques I know will be obsolete which could possibly impact the current skins dramatically.
Anyway I will be talking with Microsoft later today with regards to me trying out this new system. All I can say is they better have Aero implemented
Ill share these details now since they didn't say that I couldn't post this but I'm sure they'll catch on soon enough and I will have to remove this post. So listen up!
Microsoft has been watching skins closely for quite some time now, in fact they started observing my stuff when I released the first version of Ev0 (yeah its freaky people at Microsoft actually tried something that breaks their own EULA..... irony).
Anyway after seeing Messenger Plus! 4.50 launch they saw how much interest there was in skinning and decided to try and implement an official system. At this point their system is apparently working and a new version of WLM 9.0 beta will be offered to butterflies within the next 2 weeks.
But don't think it is good news now, because there is more to this than meets the eye. Whilst official skins may be coming they come at a cost. Yes a cost. Microsoft will be implementing the same system they used for Winks and Dynamic Display Pictures where only developers who pay the license fee for the digital signature will be able to create skins.
So could this mean skinners could implement flash content into their skins? Quite possibly. But sadly this means the average person will not be able to make skins (apparently I will be able to get my hands on a license though because of my history with skinsBig).
Furthermore new "Premium skins" will also be introduced for paying customers which will feature a Windows Live Messenger without ad's.
Yep thats right Microsoft has been keeping tabs on how people remove ads and have come to the conclusion that people want a client without ad's. So they have come up with this new premium Messenger system to allow this (but hey we will get around that too huh Tongue)
So how does this affect Plus! Skinning? From what I have been told, the next Windows Live Messenger 9.0 is built from the ground up so all the techniques I know will be obsolete which could possibly impact the current skins dramatically.
Anyway I will be talking with Microsoft later today with regards to me trying out this new system. All I can say is they better have Aero implemented
My opinion is that IF Microsoft are creating a skinning feature, it would be rushed and poorly implemented like most features of Windows Live Messenger thus making Messenger Plus! Live's engine superior. But what's the point of me even having an opinion on this day, it could be made up. Then again I believed the Windows Live Messenger 8.0 design was a fake. I guess we will just have to wait.
>> Source: Design Evolved
Zero-G Updated to 2.0.1
on Fri 28 Mar 2008 (01:02 GMT)
on Fri 28 Mar 2008 (01:02 GMT)
It looks like Willz is really hard at work this week, because not only has he released the biggest skin to hit the Plus! system, but he also updated one of his most popular skins, not once, but twice!
This release is mostly a bug-fix release, as this extract from the official announcement states:
For example, this fixes some options panel issues, and also some Plus! notification issues that certain users seemed to have been experiencing. See more information. It is recommended that everyone update to this new version as it contains fixes to a couple of minor issues that occur. See more information here.
>> See the full release announcement
>> Download Zero-G 2.0.1
>> Download Messenger Plus! Live 4.60
This release is mostly a bug-fix release, as this extract from the official announcement states:
It is recommended that everyone update to this new version as it contains fixes to a couple of minor issues that occur.
For example, this fixes some options panel issues, and also some Plus! notification issues that certain users seemed to have been experiencing. See more information. It is recommended that everyone update to this new version as it contains fixes to a couple of minor issues that occur. See more information here.
>> See the full release announcement
>> Download Zero-G 2.0.1
>> Download Messenger Plus! Live 4.60
I AM IRON MAAAAAAAAN! Der-ner-ner-ner-ner....
on Thu 27 Mar 2008 (12:11 GMT)
on Thu 27 Mar 2008 (12:11 GMT)
Will "Willz" Ingles does it once again with his third skin release for the month of March alone! This time it's to advertise the upcoming comic book to movie adaption of Iron Man.
It's a shaped skin, with highly detailed metallic features sticking out from the corners, creating a manufactured look throughout, it follows the purple/maroon and gold theme of Iron Man's armored suit and has animated transitional effects for buttons, as well as a plethora of customization options one of my favourites being a new one; Change Contact DP border colour based on their status, this brings brilliantly toned borders to away and busy contacts Display pictures in the contact list.
The skin is only compatible with the latest Messenger Plus! Live build 4.60 and Windows Live Messenger 8.5.
It's a true symbol of what the Messenger Plus! Live Skinning Engine is currently capable of doing, with improvements going on behind the scenes all the time.
Congratulations Willz the community looks forward to your future releases
>> Get Iron Man Skin (8.5 only)
>> Iron Man Skin Discussion Thread
>> Get Messenger Plus! Live 4.60
It's a shaped skin, with highly detailed metallic features sticking out from the corners, creating a manufactured look throughout, it follows the purple/maroon and gold theme of Iron Man's armored suit and has animated transitional effects for buttons, as well as a plethora of customization options one of my favourites being a new one; Change Contact DP border colour based on their status, this brings brilliantly toned borders to away and busy contacts Display pictures in the contact list.
The skin is only compatible with the latest Messenger Plus! Live build 4.60 and Windows Live Messenger 8.5.
It's a true symbol of what the Messenger Plus! Live Skinning Engine is currently capable of doing, with improvements going on behind the scenes all the time.
Congratulations Willz the community looks forward to your future releases
>> Get Iron Man Skin (8.5 only)
>> Iron Man Skin Discussion Thread
>> Get Messenger Plus! Live 4.60