The Three Client Messenger Services
MSN
Windows Live Messenger (formerly named MSN Messenger) is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP (up to Wave 3), Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x, and Zune HD. The client has been part of Microsoft's Windows Live set of online services since 2005. It connects to Microsoft's .NET Messenger Service. The client was first released as MSN Messenger on July 22, 1999, and as Windows Live Messenger on December 13, 2005.In June 2009, Microsoft reported the service attracted over 330 million active users each month.
Customer Features and Services
Windows Live Messenger's album viewer is based on Windows Live Photo Gallery and provides users a photo viewing experience for photo albums shared via Windows Live Skydrive and Facebook. The album viewer is interactive and supports full screen and slideshow modes, as well as viewing and uploading comments on Facebook and Windows Live SkyDrive albums. It also supports people tagging for Windows Live SkyDrive. The album viewer closely resembles the Microsoft Silverlight counterpart for web photo albums present on Windows Live Photos.
Windows Live Messenger allow users to appear offline to particular individual contacts, as well as to an entire category within Windows Live Messenger, while appearing online to other contacts. This is a recent feature of Windows Live Messenger 2011, and is a departure from the previous versions of Windows Live Messenger, where blocking a contact would prevent the "blockee" from sending the user any messages to the "blocker". With the "appear offline to" configuration currently implemented, "hidden from" users can still send "offline messages" to the target.
User can connect services such as facebook , and Myspace using Windows Live Profile,, and display their contact's Messenger social updates within
the "Full view" of Windows Live Messenger. Users can also post status
updates and photos directly to the connected services within Windows Live
Messenger. Additionally, Messenger also imports all contacts from the connected
services and integrates with Facebook Chat (via the XMPP protocol) for instant
messaging support with users on Facebook.
References : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN_Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger (sometimes abbreviated YIM ) is an advertisement-supported instant messaging client and associated protocol provided by Yahoo!. Yahoo! Messenger is provided free of charge and can be downloaded and used with a generic "Yahoo! ID" which also allows access to other Yahoo! services, such as Yahoo! Mail, where users can be automatically notified when they receive new email. Yahoo! also offers PC-PC, PC-Phone and Phone-to-PC service, file transfers, webcam hosting, text messaging service, and chat rooms in various categories.
Just sign into Yahoo! Mail to enjoy the same Yahoo! Messenger for the Web service you know and love. Yahoo! Messenger within Yahoo! Mail also allows you to chat with your Facebook and Windows Live friends without requiring any installation.
System requirements: Internet Explorer 8 or later, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari.
For the latest and complete Yahoo! Messenger IM experience,download the PC desktop client.
Other versions: Windows, Mac, Mobile, iPhone
Yahoo!'s instant messaging (IM) service, which includes text messaging, voice calling and file sharing. The IM client includes Internet radio and the regular phone calling at rates as low as one cent per minute. Starting with Version 8.1, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger users can instant message with each other. See instant messaging and voice chat.
Skype
Skype is a proprietary voice-over-Internet Protocol service and software application originally created by Niklas Zennström, and owned by Microsoft since 2011.
The service allows users to communicate with peers by voice, video, and instant messaging over the Internet. Phone calls may be placed to recipients on the traditional telephone networks. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free of charge, while calls to landline telephones and mobile phones are charged via a debit-based user account system. Skype has also become popular for its additional features, including file transfer, and videoconferencing. Competitors include SIP and H.323-based services, such as Empathy, Linphone , Ekiga as well as the Google Talk service.
Skype provides support through their web support portal, support community, skypesupport on Twitter, and Skype Facebook page. Direct contact via email and live chat is available through their web support portal. Chat Support is a premium feature available to Skype Premium and some other paid users.
In January 2010 Skype rescinded their policy of seizing funds in Skype accounts that have been inactive (no paid call) for 180 days. This was in settlement to a class action lawsuit. A settlement of up to US$4 was paid to persons who opted in to the action.
Skype's refund policy states that they will provide refunds in full if a client has used less than 1 euro of their Skype Credit. "Upon a duly submitted request, Skype will refund you on a pro rata basis for the unused period of a Product".
Here's the simplest way to save money on your phone bill: Use Skype. It lets you make Internet-based VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) phone calls for free to anyone in the world who also uses Skype on their PC, and make inexpensive calls from your PC to landlines and cell phones worldwide. It's also an instant messenger as well.
If you've heard of Skype, but worried that it's hard to set up, worry not. It's exceptionally simple to use. It will automatically recognize your headset, microphone, and speakers, so you don't need to worry about configuration. To call another Skype user, enter a user name, and you're ready to go. You can also save a list of users, so calling them back is simple. To call landlines and cell phones, you'll need to set up an account and buy credit. Then, whenever you make a call, that credit is used.
Skype does more than phone calls. It also lets you video chat and text chat as well, and send SMS messages. This newest version of Skype also features nifty integration with Firefox--you can call any phone number you see on a Web site with one click.
With Skype, you can share a story, celebrate a birthday, learn a language, hold a meeting, work with colleagues – just about anything you need to do together every day. You can use Skype on whatever works best for you - on your phone or computer or a TV with Skype on it. It is free to start using Skype - to speak, see and instant message other people on Skype for example. You can even try out group video, with the latest version of Skype.
If you pay a little, you can do more things, in more ways, with more people – like call phones, access WiFi or send texts. You can pay as you go or buy a subscription, whatever works for you. And in the world of business, this means you can bring your entire ecosystem of workers, partners and customers together to get things done. Try Skype out today and start adding your friends, family and colleagues. They won’t be hard to find; hundreds of millions of people are already using Skype to do all sorts of things together.
References : http://about.skype.com/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skype , http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,23523/description.html ,
