Problems with MSN??

Hello!

I have jus literally 10 minutes ago, connected for the first time online with my MacBook Pro.

After browsing and messing about, etc. I have realised that i have no MSN. On my PC i have always used msn to talk to friends, and therefore would like to know if there re any problems with the new version of MSN for Mac?

eg. are there any problems with crashes, hangs or bugs in general? Is there any type of problem with the program sort of 'infecting' the system and spreading all over m HDD?? might sound stupid, but im new to macs and its hard after being so used to PC's.

Anyway, Thanks in advance!

MJC

To put it bluntly MSN is crap. Microsoft doesn't spend anytime updating it for the mac. You are better off getting something like aMSN, Mercury, Fire, or AdiumX

There are no known viruses for the latest Mac OS right now. Even when using a microsoft product.

You can safely use MSN for mac, but it is inferior in functionaility to other apps. You can alternatively use these:

- Adium www.adiumx.com
It's very customizable, does most common protocols, incl. aim and the new GTalk. I like it instead of MSN for Mac.

- aMSN
Does only MSN, is a prot from a version that you can also run in Windows, not great, but you can use your iSight camera with this.

There are others, see previous post.

Don't worry about stupid questions. Stupid answers make them stupid.

Ok, thanks!

I just turned to MSN straight away, as that is what i'm used to. I really do nothing other than TALK to friends. Therefore will Mac MSN function virtually the same as the Windows version i am used to?

MJC

So, anybody else know of any reason (other than you thinking its rubbish) that i should not get Mac MSN?

MJC

MJC said:

So, anybody else know of any reason (other than you thinking its rubbish) that i should not get Mac MSN?

MJC

Click to expand...

iChat is excellent and is compatible with your MSN friends. Or you can convince them to download iChat for Windows. :headphone

I checked out iChat, and it wants me to either have an AIM account or a .Mac account. This would mean telling every1 my new details, etc. and i already have an MSN account that i still use regularly. If MSN is so bad on a mac that it is really not worth using at all, then i will definately look at different options.

I just really wanna know if MSN Mac is gunna seriously mess up my new mac or make it run slower, etc? I hope not.


thanks for the replies so far! this forum is Ace!

MJC

I use the MSN client from M$ that came with Office 2004. For my needs, there's nothing wrong with it.

MJC said:

I checked out iChat, and it wants me to either have an AIM account or a .Mac account. This would mean telling every1 my new details, etc. and i already have an MSN account that i still use regularly. If MSN is so bad on a mac that it is really not worth using at all, then i will definately look at different options.

I just really wanna know if MSN Mac is gunna seriously mess up my new mac or make it run slower, etc? I hope not.


thanks for the replies so far! this forum is Ace!

MJC

Click to expand...

I do not own a Mac yet however from reading these forums and other sources I can infer that:

• MSN for Mac is fine, though not Universal (afaik)
• AdiumX (sp?) will let you talk with MSN users

I would recommend AdiumX as it will let you talk to people on MSN with none of the hassle.

AdiumX will let you talk to your MSN friends. However, it is implementing a very limited subset of the protocol. A lot of things you are used to -- webcam, audio, status messages, custom emotes, etc, are not implemented.

However, a Java-based client named Mercury Messenger, has a VERY complete implementation, even webcam/audio support. Give that a try.

Pulse-8 said:

iChat is excellent and is compatible with your MSN friends. Or you can convince them to download iChat for Windows. :headphone

Click to expand...

iChat doesn't support MSN.

MJC said:

I just really wanna know if MSN Mac is gunna seriously mess up my new mac or make it run slower, etc? I hope not.

Click to expand...

MSN isn't going to break your computer. Just download it and give it a try.

Oh gof the poor fellow is going to be so confused....

Ok, let's clean up.

1. MSN for Mac is not going to mess your computer up. It might run a bit slower than other Apps because it won't run natively on your Intel Mac because it was originally written for PowerPC macs. Microsoft didn't bother to update. But again, it will NOT mess your mac up and it will run pretty fine.

2. iChat natively only supports AIM or .Mac . You would need a workaround with jabber to bring your MSN friends into iChat. It's tedious and unnecessary as you won't be able to use any of the "cool" features of iChat anyway (like video conferencing). See http://allforces.com/2005/05/06/ichat-to-msn-through-jabber/ for more info.

3. You can use MSN if your comfortable with it, but we tell you about alternatives because most mac users use those. MSN is fine, and the interface will be familiar, but since Macs are nicer-looking, apps like Adium allow you to do some neat stuff with the looks of your IM App. I have my contact list as a translucent box on my desktop. MSN won't do that. But you can use ti safely, all you like.

dohidied said:

iChat doesn't support MSN.

Click to expand...

iChat is compatible with MSN Messenger.

iChat uses the AOL Instant Messenger(AIM for short) service for it's Instant Messaging capabilities.

So, your friends can get Aim for their PC's, which is compatible with iChat and has video/audio support.

Aim is very similar to MSN Messenger, in fact MSN messenger is just a Microsoft copy of it.

Pulse-8 said:

iChat is compatible with MSN Messenger.

iChat uses the AOL Instant Messenger(AIM for short) service for it's Instant Messaging capabilities.

So, your friends can get Aim for their PC's, which is compatible with iChat and has video/audio support.

Aim is very similar to MSN Messenger, in fact MSN messenger is just a Microsoft copy of it. The one thing though is that AIM is not compatible with MSN Messenger.

Click to expand...

This post makes no sense at all.

Your first line

iChat is compatible with MSN Messenger.

and your last line

The one thing though is that AIM is not compatible with MSN Messenger.


You cannot use iChat with MSN

trpnmonkey41, regarding my previous post:

You are 100% correct, I am guilty. I apologize.

My apologies to the OP as well.

Pulse-8 said:

iChat is compatible with MSN Messenger.

iChat uses the AOL Instant Messenger(AIM for short) service for it's Instant Messaging capabilities.

So, your friends can get Aim for their PC's, which is compatible with iChat and has video/audio support.

Aim is very similar to MSN Messenger, in fact MSN messenger is just a Microsoft copy of it.

Click to expand...

So iChat supports MSN because your friends can switch from MSN to AIM? Wow.

I think the problem stems from the word "Compatible" and if I miss-used it, it wasn't personal.

But this thread is asking about choice.....

And one can select the choice of their liking.

To quote Yogi:

"...You can import your contact but need a workaround with Yabber...which is tedious and unnecessary..."

(Yogi also provided an excellent link for the OP.)

or

As I offered there is an option for the PC user to choose AIM for their IM's.

http://www.aim.com/

Or

The PC user can continue using MSN and chat to the iChat user with the help of Jabber.

This is not a personal endorsement.

trpnmonkey41 has already rightlfully pointed out my earlier error.

OK, i get it now i think.

Thanks to ll who replied and gave their input. I'm just gonna try MSN and see what i think. Just being used to windows meant that i almost expected it (as it is a MS made application) to just leave traces of itself all over my hard drive.

Aslong as this is not going to happen (doesnt seem like it ever does on Macs!) then thats cool.

Thanks again to all who advised and contributed!

MJC