RSSMicrosoft Polishes Apple Messenger
By David Worthington | Published January 13, 2005, 8:00 AM
Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit has made its first contribution to Macworld: a new version of its MSN Messenger software for Mac OS X. Messenger 5.0 for Mac boasts improved security, support for Live Communications Server, extended e-mail and contact information integration, and sports a new user interface.
Microsoft also took advantage of the Macworld spotlight to announce several new add-ons for Office 2004.
MSN Messenger's improvements to security are born out of the product's support for Live Communications Server, which provides network administrators with additional options to secure corporate instant messaging within a firewall. Microsoft insists that support for the server amounts to more secure corporate communications.
According to the company, Live Communications Server also permits server-side session logging.
Further additions stemming from Microsoft's horizontal product integration include better integration with Global Address List and the Microsoft Entourage client.
Not to be outdone, MSN's Messenger product group has designed its own improvements. The interface of version 5.0 mirrors the Mac look and feel with new user tiles. What's more, a tabbed viewing element displays corporate and personal accounts side by side within the same client.
MSN Messenger is complemented by a beta quality e-mail import tool that migrates data from Outlook 2001 for Mac to Entourage 2004, as well as by updates to Entourage 2004 that enrich Exchange Server support.
These improvements will give Entourage the capacity to view multiple calendars, deepen server and client synchronization, as well as revamp permissions and change the public folder experience and mailbox quota management tools.
Microsoft's Entourage update package will be delivered during the first half of 2004; MSN Messenger for Mac 5.0 is also expected to meet that deadline.
Seems strange that on the Windows side of things, they have Windows Messenger 5.1 and MSN Messenger 7.0. Windows Messenger provides access to Live Communications Server whereas MSN does not (they are intentionally designed to serve two different purposes (although you can list your MSN Contacts in Windows Messenger along side your other SIP contacts)). I suspect that this is actually more akin to the Windows Messenger than it is the MSN Messenger. Perhaps just an MSN Messenger branding?
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|Well, I just hope that M$ improve the product stability. If "improvements" means that, great... Now time will tell. Now, M$N Me$$enger 4 can't keep online more than... 1h if you are lucky on Mac OS, while mercury (that also support avatars and AV) has no problems in M$N network with days online. Note also that it isn't even a native application, but a java applet...
My wishes are that this time the new MS products are not poisoned as every M$ app for Mac OS X upto now.
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|Could we plea$e $top u$ing $ in ever $ingle po$ting about Micro$oft. It really i$ lame and make$ you look $tupid.
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|Yeh, agree with you mate - very immature.
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|Sorry, no way... I think Micro$oft corp is about money, not software. They harm the industry from years now and their name is not representative. That's why I rename it. Is not lame, not inmature and I'm not going to change it for my postings.
I think my spell is just right, and I don't understand why you bother about it that afterall if you think different. That's make YOU look intolerant.
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|This is the exact reson why people who speak ebonics can't get a job. If you agree with it, or not. it still makes you look stupid. reality is still reality even if you wont admit it...
The first step is admitting you have a problem
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