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Annoying Windows Live Messenger behaviour

Discussion in 'Windows - Software discussion' started by Huskie, Oct 13, 2008.

  1. Huskie

    Huskie Member

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    My MSN messenger keeps on telling me I absolutely must update it in order to be able to log in. I have no option of logging in without doing it, it just brings me back to the login screen. When I do select to download the newest version from the pop-up, as soon as the download finishes it says it could not verify something and then asks me if I want to go to the messenger's official download page to download it manually. Then, when I try to download it manually the download simply doesn't start or stops at exactly 90% every single time and doesn't go on, no matter how long I wait (I've literally tried it about 100 times by now and over a few months' time).

    The thing is, I had to download a BETA version from P2P since I already had this problem occur to me before in my non-BETA version of the software: downloads up until 90% on the official website, and unable to progress without updating.

    I think this whole "update or die" thing is extremely stupid, annoying and unnecessary and it's starting to get on my nerves. Could anybody point me to another download mirror, or a way to override this property of not letting me log in without the latest version (honestly I don't understand why having the latest update for Live Messenger should be mandatory if I can log in with my completely outdated Microsoft Messenger version, the crappy one that comes in clean Windows installations).
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2008
  2. datahead

    datahead Regular member

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    Download Pidgin http://www.pidgin.im/, which is free and which has MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, IRC, MySpaceIM, Facebook and many others in same program.
     
  3. Huskie

    Huskie Member

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    Thanks, datahead, that program looks like a fitting replacement, so far.
     
  4. Asphodel

    Asphodel Member

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    Trillian is also a good one and you can have your contacts from MSN, Yahoo, etc there.
     
  5. varnull

    varnull Guest

    trillian has been reported over the years to have some glaring security holes... and it's buggy as hell. I wouldn't trust it from previous experiences.

    http://www.derkeiler.com/Mailing-Lists/securityfocus/vuln-dev/2002-06/0079.html

    http://www.lockergnome.com/windows/...ty-security-flaw-found-in-trillian-im-client/

    and looking at the code for the current version.. the hole still exists.

    Pidgin is probably the best free one.. MSN messenger is still sending virus links around the place... because people have it set to autologin and accept everything.. which I believe is default behaviour?

    If you get people telling you they have had strange messages with links taking them to blank pages which you didn't send.. then that's you infected too :)

    there are a couple of alternatives to pidgin (which I personally think tries to do too many things and doesn't do any particularly well as a result)

    IM. similar to pidgin.. http://www.snapfiles.com/get/miranda.html

    IRC.. and sexy with it.. lacking a couple of functions which will annoy chanops... http://www.kvirc.net/
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 22, 2008

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