It's Time to Upgrade .NET Messenger Clients

Today, Microsoft started informing .NET Messenger users that they may need to update their instant messaging clients. After Oct. 15, certain older versions of MSN Messenger or Windows Messenger will no longer be able to access Microsoft's .NET Messenger service. More importantly, Microsoft plans to cut off some third-party services and software that now can connect to the .NET Messenger service.

Microsoft says the forced upgrades and third-party service/software plug-pulling is necessary to improve .NET Messenger network security. That's a reasonable argument, particularly in the wake of the Blaster worm. But, I believe this is one of those "damned if you, damned if you don't" situations that likely will expose Microsoft to somebody's ire. It's the kind of thing that makes for the ripping headlines some news outlets salivate over.

Here’s why: Microsoft has been a big crusader of instant messaging network interoperability. The company has long and loudly lobbied for AOL to open its instant messaging network. In their May antitrust settlement, AOL Time Warner and Microsoft agreed to discuss interoperability between the AOL Instant Messenger and .NET Messenger networks. The talking hasn't led to much interoperability--the average MSN Messenger user can't IM his or her buddy using AIM--but an agreement to dialog was a huge step forward for both companies.

So, cutting off some software and service providers--Trillian comes to mind--could be viewed in bad away. Consider that interoperability benefited Microsoft when its number of instant messaging users paled in comparison to AOL. Some folks might argue, that with the urgency for interoperability behind it, Microsoft has had a change of heart.

I wouldn't agree. Microsoft has a legitimate concern about security, in view of recent breaches and the beginning spillover of spam to instant messaging from e-mail. But I do fault Microsoft for not proactively trying to manage its announcement by contacting affected third-party service and software partners ahead of the widespread notification. (One day after this Weblog post, a Microsoft representative said that third parties had been notified; earlier I had been told there had been no notification.) To its credit, Microsoft has created a certification process for third parties, so that relationships may be formalized. Information eventually should be available, here, although it wasn't at the time of this Weblog posting. Since I haven't been able to read the terms, I won't speculate on the program's merits.

As for those older .NET Messenger clients, users will receive mandatory download prompts, starting on Sept. 18. After Oct. 15, they will no longer be able to connect to the .NET Messenger service. Information about the process is available here. Users will need to be on at least Windows Messenger 4.7.2009, MSN Messenger 5 or MSN Messenger for Mac OS X 3.5 to continue accessing the service. Microsoft released Windows Messenger 5 on Friday.

Posted by Joe Wilcox at August 18, 2003 04:00 PM