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
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.
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 :)
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.
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.
Popup ALT Attribute
"This extension displays the alt property of images as a tooltip, like Internet Explorer and Netscape 4.x does. "
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.
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.
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.
Well - thats my favorite few. Hope you get as much fun out of them as i have!

m0.
I think they just want to scare people.....
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.
i suggest you email redmak@neowin.net and tell him whats going on (without using all caps)
<<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?
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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