Lorgor

Windows Live Messenger is only IM that I used, back to the first day of four years ago which some of my friends encouraged me. That was time of MSN Messenger 6.2 and jump ahead for version 7.0 as beta tester. I continue using MSN Messenger and beside that I tried several brands. Yahoo Messenger is one of that but it give me really annoy feeling, filling me full of junk features come with IM. For those multi-IM from Open Source and freeware, yes Miranda and so on, is not fit on what I need (which is simplify).  Google Talk is something else I try only for first time and then forget it. G-society may argue and I may bias but GTalk is really nothing to deal with, just a basic IM with voice that borrowed from other.

Back to my dear WL Messenger. I am not so clear for version 8.1 but the target is seem to focus on compatibility issue with Windows Vista. There is only 3000+ beta testers for this time which maybe good for focusing group and with real testing. Up to now that close to final, there are 973 bugs and 436 suggestion, among these is a repeating features that always suggested for new build. Among those bug only 185 is resolved and 537 is closed (closed is something but usually doesn’t means solved). As I have seen the WLM team is really working hard and figure out, address on several serious bugs like Adobe Flash issue.

A week ago, Nicole posted the release of refresh build of WL Messenger 8.1 build 168. It’s improvement is base on feedback but she did not mention what is improvement and fixed bug in this release. For long time I notice that Inside Windows Live Messenger Blog is lack of informative post, that differ from what they began. Btw, that is other stories.

For the note I list here what is my painful on using latest build (168) on Windows Vista Ultimate (RTM) together with some suggestions. Things in the list come from me, my friends and member of my site (not this Lorgor). Note for the record for now that I always recommended my website’s user to register and try the beta. And I recommended them to report the bug via my site (if English is something else) or direct to Connect. By the reason that they must have some channel to tell the developer “I got this issue”, and  could get the acceptable quality of final. The order of the list is not reflect hierarchy of items.

1. Freezing/crashing by unknown reasons. This issue  is nothing deal with Adobe Flash. It happened just after finish install, talk to someone and sending some emoticons then WML 8.1 stop responding. This issue occurred several time across every new (refresh) build. The thing not happened to me alone but several people I know they got same problem.
2. Block/unblock issue. Some time you may see blocked people as normal (like those who is not blocked). Block and unblock miss functionality, people may need to repeat and alter the steps to make block and unblock success. Together with several complain I got, blocked people still able to send message to blocker. Some people mentioned that this issue may relate to offline messaging feature..?
3. The need of ‘portable emoticons’. I prefer to use word ‘portable’ to refer to a set of request. More and more people including beta tester ask if WLM could enable them to export/import/backup or roaming their emoticons. Emoticons is animation that people use to express their feeling and is one of the most frequency used feature during conversation. What is painful if you need to add hundreds of emos overtime you re-install Windows or switching between XP and Vista or other similar case. There are some solution for this case with third party software but still not good enough. I have put my suggestion (for roaming and sync) earlier in Connect when WLM 8.1 testig is begin, it seem ignored and no comment at all from the developer team. On backup feature that repeat suggest by other testers have few comments. If you are someone that reinstall your Windows rather often or your life is immovability. If you switch from using WLM at work to home, to school, Internet cafe or short time, and you don’t have notebook. My friend always ask me send that emos to him/her again and again because they are at home and using different PC form work. So, export/import is good, backup is not that bad, and roaming and sync is excellent means for everywhere.
4. Watch Video together. Sound strange? Hmm. We have sweet thing in Windows Live Messenger for MusicMix, it’s excellent–I call it “listen together”. And recently we have other step for activities that is ‘MSN Photo Swap’ (only bad thing after I play this with my friend, the pictures in the folder is gone mistery). So why not we can not watch home video or personal video (it’s easy to create with Vista’s Movie Maker) other with friend or family in contact. I think it sweet!!. Ummm, yes there is application sharing but how bad it function! I still remember that I have a video I made myself and want to watch and talking about it with my friend. WL Messenger is not solution, so I switch to a Chinese QQ and we enjoy the movie. So, why not enable this, via activity is also good. QQ have good option to optimize quality of movie to fit with the speed of Internet. 
5. Oh, where is sign-in assistant that compatible with Windows Vista? T.Revin told me almost three months ago there will be the Vista compatible very soon. Form there, Vista is release to business user, some RTM to testers and subscribers, and WML 8.1 is close to final but still no that sign-in assistant. The last build (168) I decide not to install sign-in assistant. There is no mention from WLM team if it ready to use, so scare me.
6. More.. but some day later.

What I say here doesn’t mean it need to be done now. It can be wait but if you just start thinking about it is also good. Keep focus on fixing the things people report, improve your way of communication with user and those  who is beta tester. And don’t forget to make informative posting.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 22nd, 2006 at 17:38 and is filed under .Windows Live, .Software. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.