Windows Messenger 2009 forces you to upgrade from ver. 8.5?

[wootiewoot]

Did anyone else encounter this problem?

"A newer version is available. You must install the newer version in order to continue. Would you like to do this now?"

In short, upgrade to windows 2009 or no Messengerfor you

I'd just like to stick with the old messenger because of the user interface and whatnots (purely a personal preference), and since I don't quite like the new interface, is there a solution which bypasses this 'upgrade or no messenger' issue, or am I forced to upgrade :\

Thanks for spending your precious time reading this post!

[jpwong]

I don't know about Win2009 (does that really exist?), but they have been forcing everyone who's version 8.4 and lower to upgrade in order to keep using Windows Live Messenger on XP.

[wootiewoot]

Oh crap, I missed the Windows messenger part @ my title. But yeah, they did force me to use ver. 2009 windows live messenger too. Is there a solution for this = =?

[demonix]

No there isn't as the latest version of windows live messenger has critical security updates which probably aren't (or most likely can't) be applied to the older versions which means their only alternative is to block older versions so that accounts can't be compromised.

Just so you know they did this before with windows messenger (the messenger client that was bundled with windows XP ) as there was a critical security update they couldn't add to it and everyone who used it had to install the latest version (at the time) of MSN messenger to keep using the service.

[wootiewoot]

Ah, that's great to know..

Well, I guess Microsoft did this to protect the safety and privacy of their clients.

Well, is there at least any way that I can use a skin or the similar to make the messenger's interface look like 8.5?

[Solais]

I encountered this too, managed to bypass for the first time, but months after that I wasn't that lucky. So I have to use this slow cr*p what eats my memory and harddrive. Did I mention that I know someone who's pc is too slow for this and she can't use Messenger anymore, cutting her off from her friends and relatives? Thank you, Microsoft, I hope all of you will burn in Hell.

[jpwong]

Originally Posted by Solais

I encountered this too, managed to bypass for the first time, but months after that I wasn't that lucky. So I have to use this slow cr*p what eats my memory and harddrive. Did I mention that I know someone who's pc is too slow for this and she can't use Messenger anymore, cutting her off from her friends and relatives? Thank you, Microsoft, I hope all of you will burn in Hell.

If a PC is that old, they should invest a couple of hundred to buy something that came out a year or two ago. I mean it's like expecting microsoft to maintain Windows 3.1 because some people don't want to buy/can't afford a new computer.

Technology advances, and there's an expectation that as it progresses, older hardware falls off the support map. According to MS, WLE only needs a PC with an 800MHz processor with 128MB RAM for an XP machine. And while I really wonder how well it works on a PC that slow, no one I know has anything slower than a 1.8GHz P4 computer, and that's already 7 years old. The new Messenger 14.0 works fine on it.

While it would be great if MS could maintain the old clients with an as is policy, if the security vulnerabilities of the old clients can compromise the new clients, I can completely see why they would pull the plug on the old versions. There's no sense putting your whole network at risk just because some people don't want to upgrade.

Anyhow, looks like they must have boosted the version reqs. I was using Messenger 8.5 as late as a week and a half ago fine. On the other hand, they did send out warning emails about 3 months ago informing people that version 8 would soon require users to upgrade to maintain service.

[chikorita157]

I'm suggesting using alternative like aMSN or Pigin which probably will work better on older machines.

It seems like Microsoft likes to force people using the new interface. This was the vase with Vista and 7 when they make drastic changes to the user interface, making it somewhat difficult to use for people who are used to XP. This was also the case with Office when the forced the Ribbon Interface on everyone, making functions harder to find... which is why I hate the ribbon interface with a furious passion.

[xKeen]

The interface is okay after you get used to it.Infact,I like this version compared to the previous version.The shitty part of this is,slow start up.
My friends were forced to upgrade too.

[synaesthetic]

Screw official IM clients, Pidgin is win. Yeah, it has some issues with file transfers occasionally, but it's way more customizable and less of a resource hog than Live Messenger.

[jpwong]

Originally Posted by chikorita157

This was also the case with Office when the forced the Ribbon Interface on everyone, making functions harder to find... which is why I hate the ribbon interface with a furious passion.

I dunno, most people I talk to hate the new office interface, but after they've used it a few month they say it's easier to use and more intuitive than the old office products for the most part. The problem comes from if you're using 2007 at home and say 2003 at work and are forced to continuously deal with both interfaces.

Is it really that slow to start up? I've never really noticed since it take Firefox something like 3-4 times as long to load when I log in.

[Alchemist007]

I hate the new one IT LOOKS LIKE CRAP. Soooo.....I looked around and got this version that's has the same functionality as the other 8.5 but is just a few more decimal numbers over, works like a charm and has no damn force update.

http://www.oldapps.com/msn_messenger.php (its the nov 2007 one). To hell with security updates.

[jpwong]

Does that work? I was using 8.5.1302. I tried to load it up again and it complained about requiring an upgrade, though I admit, it may be because I installed the new version.

You are going to get a weekly notice asking you if you would like to update FYI.

[Solais]

Or you can use a skin for the Messenger 2009.

[Alchemist007]

Originally Posted by jpwong

Does that work? I was using 8.5.1302. I tried to load it up again and it complained about requiring an upgrade, though I admit, it may be because I installed the new version.

You are going to get a weekly notice asking you if you would like to update FYI.

It stopped after a while (when I had the 1302); but it hasn't happened at all with this version.

Originally Posted by Solais

Or you can use a skin for the Messenger 2009.

Tell me when they move avatars back to the right.

[jpwong]

Originally Posted by Alchemist007

It stopped after a while (when I had the 1302); but it hasn't happened at all with this version.

Tell me when they move avatars back to the right.

I was sort of wondering because the version on the page you linked is a lower version than 1302.

Yeah, the avatars on the left is different, but I'm more annoyed with the topbar, I keep accidentally clicking the buttons on it when I want to do something else.

[Alchemist007]

Yes like I said it is an older version, but if you're ok with that like me then you've got your old msnger back

[Solais]

I tell you, because they already moved the avatars back to the right, this is why I told you this in the first place. I recommend the Zero-G skin.

[Alchemist007]

Not when I was forced to install 2 days ago. But if it's an effect of the skin then I'll try it.

edit: Ok apparently you must have meant Messenger PLUS! Which I had never heard of before.
Anyways tried it out but there's still a number of other things bothering me. Change sucks.