Main/News >> News Archives > The week of February 29 (2004) (you are here)

 Put your nick down, flip your status and reverse it!

dwergs says ( 05 Mar 2004 ):

Our good friend Huuf discovered a special character that reverses whatever comes after your nickname in different MSN Messenger windows. Here's its effect on the appearance of your nickname in the contact list window: As you can see, the Busy status is reversed to ysuB. The funky character also reverses your email address and status message in a conversation window! Isn't that emosewa? >> Learn how to reverse your status & email with your nickname... >> More tips, tricks and secrets in our MSN Messenger FAQ...

 Released: Easy DP 2.1

dwergs says ( 05 Mar 2004 ):

We offered you to play around with the beta of Easy DP for a while but now the multi-function display picture editor by Sk3tch is officially completed. Here's for the feature-fetisjists: - Browse through images on your computer to edit into a potential display picture (= DP) - Add text to your DP with any of your fonts and colors, at chosen location. - An assortment of extra editing features including blur, colorize, mirroring and more.. - Zoom in - Open display pictures already stored in your MSN Messenger account for viewing, editing, saving and adding as new DPs. - Open contact pictures stolen from your buddies - It was an easter egg in the beta, but now you can take an image straight from a webcam (/webcam) - ...more! >> Download Easy DP

 Expect another MSN Messenger maintenance

dwergs says ( 05 Mar 2004 ):

MSN Messenger will be going down for maintenance today at 7 AM GMT (check here to compare to your timezone). Update: The maintenance lasted about half an hour and is now completed.

 Help, Lucida ran out of inspiration!

dwergs says ( 05 Mar 2004 ):

The creators of Lucida are looking for a new idea for their popular MSN Messenger chatbot, but they need your help! Send your crazy ideas to submissionsvisihost.net! The best idea will receive free hosting from visihost.net: that's 500mb of webspace, 30gb of monthly bandwidth, cPanel, etc. (valued at 40 USD)! >> Add Lucida to your contact list: lucidavisihost.net >> Visit Lucida's homepage

 Updated: SimpLite 2.0.0.29

dwergs says ( 05 Mar 2004 ):

Posted for the first time almost exactly a year ago, we can report an updated Simp for MSN Messenger now called Simplite-MSN. This software encrypts instant messages before they leave your computer thus preventing possible eavesdroppers from reading your personal MSN Messenger conversations. SimpLite-MSN benefits from state of the art algorithms to secure your messages whilst maintaining an intuitive interface. It's free for personal use (at home or at the office) and comes in both an English as a French version. >> Download SimpLite-MSN.

 Save those ink message masterpieces!

dwergs says ( 04 Mar 2004 ):

It's as regrettable as logical that ink messages aren't stored into the MSN Messenger's Message History nor Messenger Plus!'s chat logs. But you can save them (together with your complete conversation) in a rich text formatted file by selecting File > Save as in the conversation window. You can also just drag any handwritten message to your favorite image editor and save it there. Or in fact, forget about the image editor: ChrisTorng has created a tiny tool called Auto Save Handwriting that does just what its name says: automatically saving received ink messages and using the contact's name. I just hope you have enough Van Gogh's on your contact list sending you pictures worth saving ;) >> Download Auto Save Handwriting If you want to send ink messages yourself, download one of the following: >> Messenger Plus! MSN Handwriting Plugin (recommended) >> or the rather chunky InfoPen for MSN Messenger. And existing ink message artists out there, have you downloaded the Ink Color Changer already? One final note: Timothy's "ink painting" you see in the screenshot is fantastic but it gets boring having to use it all the time for these kind of posts. So send your handwritten masterpiece (save it using Auto Save Handwriting) to submitmess.be and it might well end up as a screenshot in the Mess.be news!

 Groupless contacts

dwergs says ( 04 Mar 2004 ):

Having groupless contacts is NOT an upcoming feature of MSN Messenger 6.2 but in fact it's already activated for many of us and since the latest protocol change. Before, your MSN Messenger buddies were automatically placed in a group (called "Individuals" for a while) when you added them. Now any new contact will be placed right below the "...new e-mail messages" line as you can see in the first screenshot. You can also drag existing contacts over there, like in second screenie. Note: Select Contacts > Sort Contacts By > Groups to see your contacts grouped.

 Mess Exclusive: MSN Messenger 6.2 is coming!

timothy says ( 03 Mar 2004 ):

This week is going to be a busy week in MSN Messenger Land, we bring to you the announcement of MSN Messenger 6.2! Only minutes ago Microsoft has changed its internal site to a new layout, after looking around we found out that the layout change is related to the release of MSN Messenger 6.2 ! And best of all we can tell you the exact date of arrival, Thursday, April 08, 2004. The new site holds a list of Authorized Users of .NET Messenger Service. The programs in this list are allowed to use the MSN protocol. For now the only allowed client are: MSN Messenger for Windows or Mac , Windows Messenger , MSN TV service , Microsoft TV set-top box , MSN Mobile , Windows Mobile-based devices, including Pocket PC and Smartphone , Windows CE .NET-based devices, including Windows CE .NET 4.0, 4.1, and 4.2 , MSN Messenger Connect for Enterprises ( IMlogic , Vayusphere , Akonix ). Programs not listed (like Trillian and bots) are considered unauthorized. MSN Messenger 6.2 will be available for Windows XP, 2000, ME and 98 and the new site will become orange! The people who like the game Mozaki Blocks will be disappointed to hear that the game has been removed from the launch site list (for now). And in the new list Xpress Greetings has been renamed (again) back to quickgreets. And last but not least it seems that MSN Photo Swap has gone back into beta phase. (we think they are using an older version of the launch site at the moment) Also some great news for developers! You can now launch games from-within a internet page with Javascript! We are not sure yet if this also means you can launch custom games without patching your Messenger. Download the script (for testing purposes only) The new help file of will also list Recent customer questions, but since nothing is listed yet; we don’t know where the questions will be gathered. Because the site is not intended for public snooping, here are some screenshots of the new site: Welcome screen | Download options | Games list | Feature list | Authorized Users of .NET Messenger Service | Launchsite list [Also reported by: RJT]

 Spotted: "I'm a Mess" t-shirt

dwergs says ( 02 Mar 2004 ):

Look what I found, girls! You can't get any more plain speaking than this cool slim fit I'm a mess t-shirt in the style of that worn by Victoria Beckham. Available worldwide in sizes Small, Medium and Large, you can order the I'm A Mess t-shirt for about 24 USD, 15 pounds, 22 euro or 35 Canadian dollars. If the LINK doesn't work, try hitting it again! Discover more style & fashion (for Men too!) at the award winning Asos!

 Want to change your Ink color to 16777216?

dwergs says ( 02 Mar 2004 ):

So you can send ink messages through MSN Messenger but you want more than 16 colors to pick from for your drawings and handwriting? Then download Choli's Ink Color Changer (based on an idea from Mnjul)! Select your MSN Messenger account and then choose an ink color out of the color palette. Note: This is NOT a regular font color changer but an ink color changer which requires ink messages enabled. >> Download Ink Color Changer!

 Added: Interstella 5555 Display Pictures

dwergs says ( 02 Mar 2004 ):

Interstella 5555, the 5story of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem is a full-length retro anime movie by Daft Punk and Leiji Matsumoto. Our fellow Mess.be admin Timothy bought it on DVD and created 37 Interstella 5555 display pictures from its stills. Also highly recommended for Daft Punk fans are these two emoticons inspired by their robot characters created on the Discovery album: (Guy-Manuel) & (Thomas)

 Three to tango: Mariah, Meriah & Kristin Display Pics

dwergs says ( 01 Mar 2004 ):

Three stunning women get a display picture feature on Mess.be today: >> 31 Mariah Carey display pictures submitted by CM_MC >> Smallville's Kristin Kreuk display pictures added by Teex (registered members only) >> 29 Meriah Nelson display pics uploaded by SLim_Shady (+18, registered members only).

 Mess Special: An early glance and look back on this year.

timothy says ( 01 Mar 2004 ):

The year is already in its third month. But non-the-less it will always be useful to have a update about what is going to happen and already did this year: First half of the year: The Freemoticons font- and emoticon packs were a huge hit. The valentine pack by MNeMoNiCuZ even made is way onto download.com`s most popular download list ! Finally we have some ink. After BooGhost & Chakotay2003 found a Chinese program on “ze internet” we were able to use ink pictures in our messages. The only problem was that the program used a lot of resources and was intended to be a 30 day trial for outlook express ink messages. But two days later The Blasphemer and wtbw made a plug-in for Messenger Plus. Allowing ink to be available at all time. The MSN display pictures and emoticons section took a giant leap and now holds more then ten thousand (that's a 1 with 4 zero's) submitted pictures ! At the end of the first quarter, or at the beginning of the second quarter we expect a new sheriff in town. Messenger Plus 3 will overtake the add-ins and add-ons world once again by providing a revamped version. Messenger Plus 3 will not hold shocking new features but will take a chance to win the “easiest to use award 2004” with its new graphical user interface. Second half of the year: One thing is for sure, its coming, When? We expect 1st of June 2004. Who? MSN Messenger 4 for Macintosh systems. What? We don't know yet, we are only for sure that an Italian version will be available as well, and that it is most likely that it will have the same features as MSN Messenger 6.1 on the PC. New rumours are spreading about the release of MSN Messenger 7. If you already have downloaded it I would suggest to buy a virus scanner. For now its only wild guessing, but a logical mathematical answer will tell you when MSN Messenger will be released: The MSN Messenger service will become 5 years old in July MSN 6 was available from October 2003 That's 4.3 years for creating 6 different versions (excluding the major revision between 4.0 and 4.5) 6 / 4.5 = 1.3 MSN Messenger's a year = a new version every 0.7 year. Count up 0.7 to 4.3 and what do you get ? Yes, the 5th birthday of MSN Messenger. So now you don't have to act like a child on Christmas day anymore. Because you know what you will get from Santa now. Note for normal people: this is purely theoretically and based on nothing but coincidence and beer. More this year: More Freemoticon packs More custom games More discoveries And somewhere this year we are planning a make-over on the site. Why ? Because the most popular site about MSN Messenger is getting a little bit messy and could use a new navigation. Next year and further: Its still a long way ahead, but with the release of Microsoft Longhorn a new Windows Messenger will be born. This version is already available in the less legal places, but it is not worth searching for since the differences between version 6 and version 5 are not remarkable. This will be the news for the upcoming year, but since you will never know what will happen for real, stay tuned for more Mess action ! Same time ! Same Channel !

 And the Oscar goes to...

dwergs says ( 01 Mar 2004 ):

Charlize Theron, Sean Penn, Nemo and a lot Lords of the Rings... The 76th Annual Academy Award winners are known. You can get their display pictures (and POSTERS!) in our Oscar special. And the Allposters 25% OFF reduction ends today!

 Top Display Pictures & Emoticons Submitters

dwergs says ( 01 Mar 2004 ):

A huge thanks to last month's uploaders of display pictures & MSN emoticons! We now have over 11.000 images available for free for you to customize your MSN Messenger 6 with. Extra thanks to the amazing top submitters: ScOnE (428 images), ygkhan (337 uploads), oblivion (293 and more to be approved...) & SLim Shady (267 uploads)!

 MSN Toolbar final

SLim_Shady says ( 01 Mar 2004 ):

Final verson of MSN Toolbar is released. New features added to your Internet Explorer will be: Launch MSN Hotmail, MSN Messenger and My MSN directly from Toolbar, MSN websearch and pop-up blocker. >> Get it here (currently avaible only in English)

 Import all your MSN Messenger buddies to your Hotmail Contacts in 2 clicks :)

SLim_Shady says ( 01 Mar 2004 ):

Did you know you can import all your MSN Messenger buddies to your Hotmail Contacts (Address Book) in just 2 clicks? Don't know about you, but personally I was waiting for this feature long time ;) All you got to do is click "Add a Contact" in MSN Messenger (click #1), then "Show me my address book" (click #2). Done!

 Added: MSN Handwriting Plugin for Messenger Plus!

SLim_Shady says ( 29 Feb 2004 ):

MSN Handwriting is and add-on for Messenger Plus! that will enable Ink Messages (drawing, handwriting) in MSN Messenger 6, just like InfoPen we posted about yesterday. Well, if you have already installed InfoPen, we would advise to switch to MSN Handwriting, because: it is only 2.5 MB big (compare to 18 MB of InfoPen), it has no 30-day trial period, and you don't see it runnin' in background as it is just a normal plug-in for MsgPlus! So, what are you waiting for? Go 'n install this excellent plug-in by The Blasphemer and wtbw! Note: Windows XP only!

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