Which Messenger Should I Upgrade To?

[Danny]

I presently have Windows Messenger 4.7 on XP Home and behind UPnP router. I
want to have the ability to transfer files as well as receive them. I also
want to be able to recieve my e-mail through Outlook Express as I do now
with 4.7 as well as having pop-ups when I do receive email as I do now. Why
can't Microsoft make one Messenger to cover all this without doing an
upgrade and loosing this feature or that. Seems we waited so long for a
Windows Messenger upgrade and when it comes where loosing something to gain
others.

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Danny,

Since you want the pop-ups from Messenger when you receive mail in your Hotmail Inbox, you'll
need to either stay with Windows Messenger 4.7 or install MSN Messenger 6.

Actually, up until Windows Messenger 4.7 and MSN Messenger 5, they *were* the same client.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[Danny]

Thanks Jonathan,

Now if I install MSN 6 I will still have the ability to access email through
Outlook Express?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Danny,

Messenger clients don't have any effect on your Outlook Express mail -- if you mean the
e-mail messages link within Messenger, the same rules in Windows Messenger 4.x apply to MSN
Messenger 6, if you're using an active Hotmail.com/MSN.com passport, it will open Hotmail,
but if you're using some other Passport or an inactive Hotmail.com/MSN.com passport, it will
open your default mail program instead.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[Danny]

Thanks again Jonathan,

I think what I should have asked is will my contact list still be visible in
Outlook express for the hotmail accounts as it is now, using 4.7 using MSN
6. I guess 4.7 should still remain installed to get the other feautres.
Rereading your last message maybe you did answer this I'm not quite sure.

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Danny,

Re-read it -- I was referring to AOL Instant Messenger -- not Windows Messenger in that
particular sentence.

Regardless, yes, Windows Messenger 4.x and Windows Messenger 5.x integrate into the Contacts
pane in Outlook Express. However, they will only show up in the contacts pane when you're
signed into Windows Messenger. Just having Windows Messenger installed (which comes with
Windows XP) and signing into Messenger using MSN Messenger 6 is not good enough.

If you want to have it all, you'll need to stick with Windows Messenger 4.7. If you're
current "you must upgrade" messages on your current Windows Messenger 4.x version, you'll
need to upgrade to this one:
http://g.msn.com/5meen_us/121?plcid=0409
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com