Messenger Tools.NET - Windows Live Messenger 8.0.0566 Technical Specifications

This document describes the new features and known issues in Windows Live Messenger Beta v8.0.566.

New in Windows Live Messenger version 8.0.0566

Improved Infrastructure
Over the last few months, the Messenger team has worked tirelessly to make Windows Live Messenger Beta more reliable and stable.

New Windows Live Look and Feel

Windows Live has a new look, and Messenger has been updated to match the rest of the Windows Live offerings. We look forward to your feedback!

Removed hover behavior

We received a lot of feedback saying that you didnt like the expansion from one line to three lines when you hovered on a contact in the contact list. We listened! We removed this behavior.

Replaced status icons

Sometimes change is good. Sometimes its not. We tried using the same status icon for contacts that have their status set to Away, Out to Lunch, and Busy. The overwhelming response was Change it back! so we did.

Updated Sharing Folders

Sharing Folders has been overhauled! The sharing window status and progress bar has been updated, plus the activity log is now a separate window.

Known Issues

Accessibility

Contacts

EASI passport Messenger users dont receive an error message when adding a federated contact as an instant messaging contact.
The main window doesn't update after editing a contact.

Conversation Window

Conversation Window Colors are not remembered on upgrade
First Ink message sent to a contact might fail. Additional Ink messages are delivered.
Double-byte characters (DBCS) do not appear correctly in conversations with three or more participants when the DBCS input mode is selected in language bar. Workaround: click the Messenger contact list (or any other window) and then click the conversation window.
If you are running Internet Explorer 7.0, the conversation Message History might not open correctly. If you encounter this issue, in Tools > Options > Messages > Message History, change the path to the files to one that does not contain a space.

Installation

Upgrading from previous build prompts for reboot when a reboot is not required.
Messenger Beta cannot be installed on Windows 2000 Server
Before installing on Windows Vista, you must uninstall previous versions of Messenger. Upgrading from previous versions of Messenger is not supported and can result in unexpected behavior, such as Messenger repairing itself when first opened.

Mobile Messaging

Users may not be able to send SMS in some markets.
An incoming SMS is displayed on a new window instead of the existing Mobile IM window and the mobile contact that sent the message is not recognized as contact.
SMS appears to come from a contact other than the one that sent it. An SMS might also appear to come from the correct contacts mobile number, but the contacts name is not displayed with the mobile number.
When sending a message to a contact with no Vodaphone subscription or one that has run out of credit, an incorrect error message is displayed. The error message is This message was not sent. To send messages to a mobile device, you must first set your country of residence for your Microsoft Passport and sign back into Messenger.
When a Vodafone user is added by WVID, the Messenger user will not see the Vodafone users presence. In addition, the Vodafone user will not get the notification that he was added by a Messenger user.
When a Messenger user tries to migrate a Vodafone number added using pre 7.5 Messenger client the migration will fail

Parental Controls

Parental controls are not supported in Messenger Beta, so restricted accounts cannot log in.

Sharing Folders

Sharing is not supported on unsigned versions of Messenger, such as if a third-party Messenger add-in is installed.
Long delays in replication may result when attempting to sync with multiple active sharing relationships.
Can't delete, open, or edit files when filenames are too long. This most commonly occurs in the <%SystemRoot%>\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Messenger\<email address>\Contacts directory. To take action on the file, rename it.
When sharing files with a user running Windows Live Messenger Beta v8.0.365, the Sharing Folders window incorrectly displays a warning that states <username> has a version of Messenger that doesnt have Sharing Folders, so you cant share files with <username>. Sharing Folders does work between v8.0.365 and 8.0.566.
Messenger might crash if you right-click several folders in the main Sharing Folders window and click Properties.

Windows Vista Support

Before installing on Windows Vista, you must uninstall previous versions of Messenger. Upgrading from previous versions of Messenger is not supported and can result in unexpected behavior, such as Messenger repairing itself when first opened.
Windows Vista does not support Voice Conversations (Computer Call).
Sharing silently fails if Messenger was installed using non-administrator account on Windows Vista.
On Windows Vista, the Sharing windows do not always work as expected. For example, gleams do not appear on new items in the Sharing Folder and clicking Delete on the right-click menu does not delete the file from the Sharing window.
On Windows Vista, Messenger might crash if you open the Games or Activities menus in the Conversation window.
When running the Connection Troubleshooter, a DNS error is reported even when there is no DNS error.

Other Issues

Personal settings, such as the display picture, are no longer selected after installing 8.0.566.
Windows Live Messenger Beta might crash if MSN Shell (a 3rd party plug-in) is installed.
PC to Phone calling is not available in all markets.
In some markets, while entering a password to sign in to Windows Live Messenger Beta, the cursor focus reverts to the username field.