Microsoft: Don't use leaked MSN Messenger 6 beta

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Microsoft urges users not to run leaked beta versions of its forthcoming MSN Messenger Version 6 instant messaging application because the software is not ready for consumer use.

Early versions of MSN Messenger 6 have popped up on dozens of Web sites and new sites spring up every day. Microsoft said the versions that are offered on the Web are meant for internal testing only and that it does not know who leaked the software.

"We had intended for the beta to be an internal beta only. MSN strongly discourages users from downloading a beta from unauthorized sites due to concerns about the stability of the code and lack of complete information," Microsoft's MSN unit said in a statement sent via e-mail Friday.

Microsoft has asked individual Web sites offering the beta for download to pull the software, Larry Grothaus, lead product manager for MSN said. Users should be patient and wait for the "public preview" of the application that is due out in the next couple of weeks, he said.

News source: InfoWorld

AdBlock
"AdBlock allows the user to specify a number of filters, which removes unwanted images based on their address. Filters are specified using the wildcard character (*) or regular expressions. Thus, it's possible to control in some detail what is displayed. Upon loading a page, AdBlock will scan through it and remove or hide the elements that matches the filters entered by the user. It doesn't prevent content from being downloaded, merely from being displayed. It's capable of removing both images and Flash animations."

The fact that it still downloads them makes ya feel a little less guilty :)

View: Adblock

Autoscroll

"AutoScroll is an addon for Firebird that emulates the autoscrolling functionality of Internet Explorer. For those unfamiliar with this, when you middle click on a page (typically by clicking a mouse wheel button) you can then move the mouse up and down to have the page scroll by you without further mouse movements."

An invaluable feature.

View: Autoscroll

LiveHTTPHeaders

"This developer oriented extension is to add information about the HTTP headers. More information on the project homepage."

Not invaluable, but a cool and useful tool for web gurus.

View: LiveHTTPHeaders

Popup ALT Attribute

"This extension displays the alt property of images as a tooltip, like Internet Explorer and Netscape 4.x does. "

View: Popup ALT Attribute

Mycroft

"This is a very powerful collection of extensions that allow you to add search engines to the Search bar in Firebird. To install a new search engine, go to the Download page and enter the Site Name (e.g. altavista, dictionary, etc.) and press Search. A list of matches should appear. Click on the one you want and that search engine should now be added to the list of available search engines in the Firebird Search bar!"

This is just super- a collection of adins that add extra search options to the search box in the top right.

View: Mycroft

User Agent Switcher

"This extension adds a menu to switch the user agent of the browser. It is designed to provide functionality similar to the "Browser Identification" feature of Opera."

Very very useful, allowing you to view sites deemed good enough only for IE :D.

View: User Agent Switcher

Web Developer

"The Web Developer extension for Mozilla Firebird adds a menu and a toolbar to the browser with various web developer tools." (ed - view his site for the full list- there are loads of things.)

One of my favorite tools, enabling a plethora of extra Web Developer functions.

View: Web Developer

Well - thats my favorite few. Hope you get as much fun out of them as i have!

(1 reply) #1 Quick Reply on 15 Jun 2003 - 10:51

their complaints are fair enough because although it's not their fault that it was leaked, it's still their responsibility if it was to shag up your computer. So all this "pull the software" business is to save thier ass should something go wrong, but if you already have it and it's working fine, then there should be no reason to remove it from your system

#1.1 Gweedo on 15 Jun 2003 - 16:39

We use at our own risk. We know it's a beta therefore we knowningly risk our computers to the "stability of the code and lack of complete information." (Whatever the heck lack of complete information means. Not done? Couldn't be, that would be too simple for MS) So why does it really matter? They should just chill and run around tech forums like this one and pick up feedback. It's like free beta testing.

#2 dj_alex_m on 15 Jun 2003 - 10:59

I myself have found the 'internal' beta very stable. Am yet to see it crash - which is suprising, as my Windows Messenger beta dose crash.

#3 m0 on 15 Jun 2003 - 11:53

yeah, msn messenger 6 is actually quite bug free and im happy with it

m0.

#4 kljs on 15 Jun 2003 - 11:56

No problems so far.......

I think they just want to scare people.....

(1 reply) #5 indiedude on 15 Jun 2003 - 12:20

i used MSN 6 for a while and during that time i found no bugs with it, although i found the interface bulky and well to be honest, ugly, lol. although The new emoticons were a plus, Microsoft should include a "classic mode" option. in the meantime ive gone back to good old Windows Messenger 4.7

#5.1 Zeni on 15 Jun 2003 - 14:22

Here here!
This thing is ugly as all hell, but I enjoy the custom emoticons and greater number of them immensely.
The popups are the worst part, they're much too wide and this whole "Corona" look really doesn't sit well with me.

#6 Ironman273 on 15 Jun 2003 - 13:25

I love my Messenger 6. The only bug I found (which annoys me that I can't report it since i'm not supposed to have it) is that Messenger should go to "Busy" mode when and app goes fullscreen, like a game. It doesn't. I've noticed it goes to busy during some installations, but not for gaming, which is when I'd like it to work.

#7 werejag on 15 Jun 2003 - 13:57

how about microsoft pay me to remove it?

#8 XP-RTM on 15 Jun 2003 - 14:23

lol good idea

(4 replies) #9 Sup Mang on 15 Jun 2003 - 14:37

HEY GUYS WHY HAVE THE MODS DISABLED MY ABILITY TO POST IN REGULAR FORUMS? I CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH ANYONE BUT HERE, PLEASE HELP

#9.1 xStainDx on 15 Jun 2003 - 15:26

hmmm maybe you should Email them, or PM Them.

#9.2 Sup Mang on 15 Jun 2003 - 15:38

I CANT PM THEM THEY DISABLED IT OMG HELP

#9.3 Spyder on 15 Jun 2003 - 16:02

sup mang.. i checked your account and nothing has been done to it. no bans, no warnings, no nothing. the mods haven't disabled anything on you.

i suggest you email redmak@neowin.net and tell him whats going on (without using all caps)

#9.4 JaggedFlame on 15 Jun 2003 - 21:19

rofl nice name "sup mang"

#10 Esoteric on 15 Jun 2003 - 15:33

msn messenger 6 is cool and very stable, the only problem I have found with it so far is that it logs me off about 2 times each day for no appaerant reason..

#11 Ely on 15 Jun 2003 - 16:25

Messenger 6 is a great program, I ended up removing it too and going back to MSN messenger 5.0 too, not because of crashes or anything but because the tabs for some reason suddenly were gone, Honestly I find 6.0 to be very stable in all other aspects of the program and its features are great, however I do really hate the new interface, I find it ugly honestly, that theme does not match with any other MS program it doesnt match the XP theme either, I do agree MS should put a feature to allow the interface to stay XP-Like or to put it back the 5.0 look, looks much better.

#12 bangbang023 on 15 Jun 2003 - 17:10

Two days ago, one of their higher ups was bragging about how many people were using it, sheesh

#13 Tai on 15 Jun 2003 - 18:13

look at all this great reaction and feedback M$ are getting from the 1000000000000 of beta users now .. I bet they are REALLY sad about that

#14 mipra on 15 Jun 2003 - 19:43

well..let's wait and see what the prevew will look like..I bet it wont be too much far than the leaked one

#15 defcon7 on 15 Jun 2003 - 20:42

Does anyone here not think that MS purposely leaked that software? They've built up a huge hype for MSNM6, and plus they get all of to be their beta testers as well. Looks like a win-win for them...

#16 niel19_us on 15 Jun 2003 - 21:03

What R U kinding me I am not going to uninstall it b'caus they(

) said so. New mess*ng*r is a ki

er. it's great never crashed.

#17 nimasoft on 15 Jun 2003 - 23:35

too late a lil!

#18 stuckwithme247 on 15 Jun 2003 - 23:55

messenger is not good

#19 boo_star on 16 Jun 2003 - 00:57

They couldnt be saying this because they want to hype up MSN 6 could they?

#20 BrY on 16 Jun 2003 - 01:03

This is a bunch of BS comin from MS. They were just braggin about 2 million "non-official" users signed on to MSN using the beta. So now they are urging the same ppl to uninstall the sh*t that is just lame!

<<Thanks Mess with MSN Messenger, According to CNET News.com, a Microsoft memo penned by Blake Irving, vice president of MSN's communications division, stated 2 million copies of the "private" MSN 6 beta have already been downloaded.

Calling it "totally addictive" and citing his 14-year-old sister-in-law as one surprise beta tester, Irving heralded the product's viral appeal: "We have seen unprecedented global consumer enthusiasm for this version," Irving wrote.>>

So is Irving's sister in law going to get a spanking now?

#21 Maxious on 16 Jun 2003 - 06:10

its stable, it works... if all internal builds are this cool, i need a friend in M$

#22 Brad on 16 Jun 2003 - 17:10

Yeah, Ive had it for a while now. Works fine for me too. I wont be removing it just yet. Only thing that annoys me is Messenger in general is impossible to completely turn off. It even starts its self in express.

#23 SpUnKy MOnkY on 16 Jun 2003 - 20:18

What is the dammm point of microsof telling us not to use it.
Firstly NO ONE IS GOING TO DO WHAT MS SAYS.
Secondoly why the hell did they tell us in the first place???
MAYBE TO MAKE MORE PEOPLE GET INTERESTED IN MSN6???
Msn m 6 is freeware any way.
I really dont get ms point.

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