From: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9233313/Microsoft_to_close_Messenger_and_consolidate_IM_service_on_Skype
Microsoft to close Messenger and consolidate IM service on Skype Messenger will go offline in the first quarter of 2013 worldwide except in mainland China By Juan Carlos Perez November 6, 2012 02:55 PM ET IDG News Service - Microsoft will shut down Windows Live Messenger next year, compelling users to migrate to Skype, whose latest version can import users' Messenger contacts. With the exception of mainland China, Windows Live Messenger will close in the first quarter of 2013, and its users should install the latest version of Skype, Microsoft said on Tuesday. Users can sign into the Skype service with the credentials they use to access their Microsoft online services, including Windows Live Messenger. They will find their Windows Live Messenger contacts on their Skype contacts list. If they used both Windows Live Messenger and Skype, the contacts lists will be merged. "We want to focus our efforts on making things simpler for our users while continuously improving the overall experience," wrote Tony Bates, Skype's president, in a blog post. To encourage Windows Live Messenger, he touted several benefits users will get from Skype, including support for more devices, including iPad and Android tablets, screen sharing, the ability to place calls to landline phones, and group video conferencing. However, this type of migration is rarely seamless, and users are already raising questions in comments to Bates' blog post, including the availability of certain Windows Live Messenger features and the capacity of the Skype infrastructure to sustain the new workload. Microsoft, which acquired Skype in October 2011 for US$8.5 billion, will provide more information about the transition, as well as introduce special offers for fee-based Skype services, in the coming months, Bates wrote. Juan Carlos Perez covers enterprise communication/collaboration suites, operating systems, browsers and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Juan on Twitter at @JuanCPerezIDG. Reprinted with permission from IDG.net. Story copyright 2012 International Data Group. All rights reserved. On 11/8/12, Marek Durila <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > There is problem, if somebody using WLM accounts, will be there another > possibility use it in the future? For example ICQ is supported with many > programs. > > > > > > From: Chris Skarstad <[email protected]> > To: [email protected], > Date: 07.11.2012 17:41 > Subject: Re: Microsoft to Close Messenger and consolidate Im > Services on Skype > > > > This is good news. From the reports I'm hearing, WLM isn't going away > until the first quarter of 2013, so everyone has plenty of time to find > an alternative program. So it's good that they aren't yanking it away > all at once. > > On 11/7/2012 8:55 AM, Stephen Clower wrote: >> Greetings, >> >> We don't know Skype's plans for Windows Live integration with the >> Skype Kit, however there have been some changes made recently to their >> API which indicate that this is likely coming at some point in the >> future. Should they add support or require us to do something to >> enable WLM integration, we will release an appropriate update to >> GWConnect. >> >> Regards, >> Steve >> >> >> >> On 11/6/2012 10:25 PM, Trenton Matthews wrote: >>> I think this article may help solve things: >>> > http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/06/microsoft_retires_messenger_for_skype/ > > >>> >>> >>> Keep in mind, Windows Live also supports yahoo messenger folks... >>> Thus, GWC should support contacts from that group as well. >>> >>> >>> On 11/7/12, Duyahn Walker <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> Ok. I understand. >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: "Chris" <[email protected]> >>>> To: "Duyahn Walker" <[email protected]> >>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2012 4:49 PM >>>> Subject: Re: Microsoft to Close Messenger and consolidate Im >>>> Services on >>>> Skype >>>> >>>> >>>>> Sorry I did not have the link. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Christopher Hallsworth >>>>> >>>>> On 06/11/2012 22:44, Duyahn Walker wrote: >>>>>> Not that I use windows live messenger itself but, why would > Microsoft >>>>>> post this on a blog if the source is unknown for writing the > article? >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris" > <[email protected]> >>>>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2012 4:33 PM >>>>>> Subject: Microsoft to Close Messenger and consolidate Im Services on >>>>>> Skype >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> This will be the end of an era for some of us. The article is > pasted >>>>>>> below. The source is unknown. As a result I hope an update to Gw >>>>>>> Connect will support Windows Live accounts. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *Microsoft to close Messenger and consolidate IM service on Skype** >>>>>>> **By Juan Carlos Perez, IDG News Service** >>>>>>> ** >>>>>>> ** Nov 6, 2012 12:45 PM** >>>>>>> **** >>>>>>> **Microsoft will shut down Windows Live Messenger next year, >>>>>>> compelling users to migrate to Skype, whose latest version can >>>>>>> import >>>>>>> users' Messenger contacts.** >>>>>>> ** >>>>>>> **With the exception of mainland China, Windows Live Messenger will >>>>>>> close in the first quarter of 2013, and its users should install > the >>>>>>> latest version of Skype, Microsoft said on Tuesday.** >>>>>>> ** >>>>>>> **Users can sign into the Skype service with the credentials they >>>>>>> use >>>>>>> to access their Microsoft online services, including Windows Live >>>>>>> Messenger. They will find their Windows Live Messenger contacts on >>>>>>> their Skype contacts list. If they used both Windows Live Messenger >>>>>>> and Skype, the contacts lists will be merged.** >>>>>>> ** >>>>>>> **"We want to focus our efforts on making things simpler for our >>>>>>> users >>>>>>> while continuously improving the overall experience," wrote Tony >>>>>>> Bates, Skype's president, in a blog post.** >>>>>>> ** >>>>>>> **To encourage Windows Live Messenger users to update to Skype, >>>>>>> Bates >>>>>>> touted several benefits they'll get from Skype, including support >>>>>>> for >>>>>>> more devices such as iPad and Android tablets, screen sharing, the >>>>>>> ability to place calls to landline phones, and group video >>>>>>> conferencing.** >>>>>>> ** >>>>>>> **However, this type of migration is rarely seamless, and users are >>>>>>> already raising questions in comments to Bates' blog post, > including >>>>>>> the availability of certain Windows Live Messenger features and the >>>>>>> capacity of the Skype infrastructure to sustain the new workload.** >>>>>>> ** >>>>>>> **Microsoft, which acquired Skype in October 2011 for $8.5 billion, >>>>>>> will provide more information about the transition, as well as >>>>>>> introduce special offers for fee-based Skype services, in the > coming >>>>>>> months, Bates wrote.** >>>>>>> * >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Christopher Hallsworth >>>>>>> If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original >>>>>>> sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and > your >>>>>>> message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your >>>>>>> message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You >>>>>>> can manage your list subscription at >>>>>>> http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. >>>>>>> >>>>>> If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original >>>>>> sender >>>>>> only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your >>>>>> message is >>>>>> related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to >>>>>> [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. >>>>>> >>>>>> GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. >>>>>> You can >>>>>> manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>> If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original >>>> sender >>>> only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your >>>> message is >>>> related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to >>>> [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. >>>> >>>> GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You > can >>>> manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. >>>> >>>> >>> If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original >>> sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your >>> message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your >>> message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. >>> >>> GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You >>> can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. >>> >> > If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender > only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is > related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to > [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. > > GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can > manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. > > > > If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender > only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is > related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to > [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. > > GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can > manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv.
