When Microsoft originally released the MSN Messenger program, it was a very basic instant messaging program that I downloaded to communicate with AOL members without having to use AOL's own AIM program. AOL quickly brought an end to Microsoft's "borrowing" of its user base and Microsoft quickly had to find a way to make its IM software more appealing.

Now many months have passed and I like what I see. I'll point out the reasons I like MSN Messenger over the competition:

It's integrated, but not intrusive. It sits in the system tray and can alert you when someone signs on, saving you the trouble of constantly checking your contact list. If you have a Hotmail account, this program is a must. It'll notify you when new mail has arrived, and will go directly to your Inbox.

It's a stripped down chat program. If you're one of the millions that use ICQ, how many of those features do you really need? MSN just keeps the basics: one on one chat, group chat, voice chat, file transfers, privacy controls, and status changing. This all comes in a tiny program that takes only minutes to download, and starts on my system in very little time.

Then there's the built in Net2Phone program which allows you to make free long distance phone calls anywhere in the US. This was a nice addition to the program and it works flawlessly on my system.

The user base of MSN messenger is constantly growing. Almost everyone I know uses this program now, and I rarely need to use AIM or ICQ anymore. I've been using this program for almost a year now and I haven't had any random people trying to chat with me like they do on ICQ (even when I'm unlisted). This program has the best interface of all the ones I have used. I would recommend this to any Hotmail user or anyone seeking an alternative to memory-hungry programs like AIM and ICQ.




Recommended: Yes