aMSN 0.95 Released

An anonymous reader writes "After more than a year since their last update aMSN has published version 0.95. New features include 'webcam support, tabbed chat windows, improved skin plugin support, new file transfer protocol, many new plugins (like Ink and Nudge support), an improved bug report system, as well as LOTS of bug fixes.' In addition to many new features and fixes the aMSN site has been given a face lift to (hopefully) facilitate ease of use."

Website? Looks bad.

[vidarlo]

Really. They've got a nice website. But it requires javascript for downloading, it is broken [zet.no] in my Firefox, bypasses SF's default mirror system (which is bad in my eyes because it makes downloads potentially slower). So whilst I've not tested amsn itself, the website needs work.

Re:OK, there is NO WAY...

[LinuxDon]

Remember that up till now, Microsoft has not really done anything harsh to any opensource project.
And, since this is not commercial software, the odds are that they don't really care too much.
Especially now, when they are having such a hard time with all of the monopoly lawsuits.

i don't get it...

[twiggy]

So, it's just a clone of MSN written by someone else, still for windows?

Why is this a big deal?

If it offered multiple clients like Trillian [trillian.cc] does, or had some snazzy features that MSN didn't already have, I could see it being big news...

Strange indeed, seeing as MSN is probably the least popular messenger between AIM/Yahoo/MSN... I just don't understand the motivation behind writing a clone. Anyone see something I'm missing?

Re:i don't get it...

[Yoohoo Ladies!]

I don't know... just about everyone I know uses MSN... I prefer ICQ myself, though. I've got 90+ contacts through MSN... maybe three in AOL. But I'm Canada, so maybe that explains the difference?

Re:i don't get it...

[mikael_j]

Strange indeed, seeing as MSN is probably the least popular messenger between AIM/Yahoo/MSN..

In the US perhaps.. In europe ICQ was pretty much "The" IM until Microsoft's bundling of MSN Messenger attracted the dimwitted hordes of teenagers, at this point anyone wanting to contact any of these people would use MSN Messenger (since before this point not a lot of people were using IM software) and this in turn led to a situation where only "nerds" were using ICQ and most of them ended up getting an MSN account just to be able to keep in touch with their friends..

Now if only Microsoft could get offline messages for MSN Messenger I wouldn't mind this situation but it seems they think "E-mail = offline message"..

/Mikael

Re:OK, there is NO WAY...

[mpontes]

Easy. All they have to do is say that aMSN is an acronym for Alvaro's MeSseNger and that it has nothing to do with MicroSoft Network.

Typicall awful font rendering on Linux

[onlyjoking]

The screenshots exemplify why Linux struggles to gain mindshare amongst Windows users. Font rendering is still awful on Linux and I'm afraid it's looks that count with IM apps. The same is true of that great open source flagship, Firefox. I love using it on OS X and XP but on Linux Firefox can't render simple CSS borders nor line-spacing properly. Websites just look awful viewed with Firefox on Linux (Fedora) and aMSN suffers similar problems with its flaky text. Linux is a serer OS with a half-decent graphics engine but with browsers and IM apps half-decent isn't good enough.

Re:i don't get it...

[Anonymous Coward]

In europe ICQ was pretty much "The" IM until Microsoft's bundling of MSN Messenger attracted the dimwitted hordes of teenagers, at this point anyone wanting to contact any of these people would use MSN Messenge

No, ICQ was popular until it started to become one giant bloatware piece of shit, and thats not microsofts fault

Re:More features than Gaim

[Bad D.N.A.]

"It works with everything" ... "never work for me through trillion"

Um, that is either a contradiction or although I don't drink I've hit the scotch too early today.

Re:OK, there is NO WAY...

[gkhan1]

Can you say Lindows?

i dont understand...

[Synth3t1c]

why would someone go open source if theres a closed source free version that works fine already out there?

i mean, im in favor for creating open source programs but why even bother - aMSN is adding functionality already given for free from MSN themselves...

Re:OK, there is NO WAY...

[rm69990]

Lindows is a company, a company that even develops proprietary software alongside open source software. Lindows was not, is not, nor will it ever be an "open source project". It was a commercial company that was gunning straight for Microsoft's market, using a very similarly named product. I won't go into the whole "is Windows a valid trademark" thing though.