Windows Live Messenger Tools
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging chat client created by Microsoft. It was previously called MSN Messenger and is most often referred to as MSN. There is a version designed to work with Mac computers, but most often, MSN is used on Windows machines and works with most versions of Windows, including Windows XP (32-bit XP only), Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Mobile. It was first released in 1999, and available as a free download.
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Instant Messaging
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The primary feature of Windows Live Messenger (or MSN) is the ability to send an instant message to someone in your contact list. Once you've downloaded the program from the Microsoft Windows Live website and created an account, you can add your friends and contacts by their user name or by their email address. Once your contact has accepted your friend request, you can instantly communicate with them when you are both online. This has advantages over email, which can take time, and text messaging, which could result in fees from your wireless provider. Instant messaging is used frequently for both business and personal reasons by millions of people every day.
Audio and Video
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When using MSN, you can do more than just have an instant text conversation. If you have the right tools, you can also have an audio or video chat. To participate in an audio chat, both parties need microphones and speakers. Many laptops have these built right in. If you have a webcam (again, built in to many newer laptops), you can start a video call as well. To do this, open your MSN program and log in. Double click the contact to whom you wish to connect, and then select either the audio or video feature from the conversation box. If the user has the proper set up on his end, he can accept your invitation and start your chat. This is best done on a high speed Internet connection, as dial-up or slow connections can result in poor quality audio and video.
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Files and Pictures
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While in a chat with one of your contacts, you can share files or show her photos. She can save these files to her computer for later viewing. With photos, you can just drag them into the conversation box when it is open during a chat, or if you prefer to send the photo or document as a file, select "send file." When the dialogue box comes up, select the file you wish transfer from a directory on your computer. The other person will need to accept the file invitation before the transferring will begin. You can change the files' saved location in the options menu.
Personalization
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You can personalize your Windows Live Messenger program in many different ways. You can add a photo of yourself that your contacts will see when you are online and during chats, change the colors of the program as well as the chat boxes, use different fonts and colors, add backgrounds to your chat windows and even let your contacts know what you are listening to right then. You can change all of these options under the Tools menu at the top of Messenger.
Other Live Programs
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When you download Windows Live Messenger, you can also download a number of other Live programs that include Mail, Writer, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Family Safety and the Windows Live Toolbar. With Windows Live Mail, you can check multiple e-mail accounts in one program, including popular programs like Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo. Writer is a blogging program that lets you post to a variety of different blogging platforms like LiveJournal and WordPress. Photo Gallery organizes and shares your photos, and Movie Maker lets you create slideshows and videos from your video files or photos. The toolbar gives you access to all of the Live programs and websites from your Internet browser, and the Family Safety program helps you keep your children safe online by limiting what they can see and do.
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