Windows Vista makes communicating with other computers over the Internet easier than ever with Windows Live Messenger (version 8). This chapter describes version 8; your downloaded version may differ slightly. You can talk to others over the Internet (like you do on a telephone), use video to see and be seen by others while you converse, share programs and files, collaborate on documents, share graphical content, and ask for or get remote online assistance from a contact.

You can use Windows Live Messenger (New!) to exchange instant messages with a designated list of contacts over the Internet. An instant message is an online typewritten conversation in real-time between two or more contacts. Unlike an e-mail message, instant messages require both parties to be online, and the communication is instantaneous. With Windows Live Messenger, you can send instant messages to any of your contacts who are online; have conversations with a group of friends; see the latest information about your contacts; see and hear your contacts; send and receive text messages with a mobile device; send a voice clip to express yourself personally; and save your conversations. In addition, you can make PC to telephone or PC to PC calls, share and update files with your friends using the Sharing folder, and connect with your friends who use Yahoo Messenger (New!).

Windows Live Messenger uses different services to exchange messages, files, and other information. The default service is .NET Messenger Service, which individuals mostly use. For those working in a corporate environment, Windows Live Messenger supports Communications Service for networks that use SIP-server technology and Exchange Instant Messaging for networks that use Microsoft Exchange Server. You can set up Windows Live Messenger to access more than one type of messaging service.

Windows Live Messenger (New!) is an instant messenging program that allows you to send and receive instant messages, hold video chats, and share files. Windows Live Messenger doesn’t come installed with Windows Vista, so you need to download and install it from the Microsoft Web site. This chapter describes version 8; your downloaded version with updates may differ slightly; select About Messenger on the Help menu for version information. Before you can use Windows Live Messenger, you need to get an account ID. You use the ID to sign-in to Windows Live Messenger as well as other Windows Live services, such as Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Spaces. If you already have an MSN Hotmail, MSN Messenger, or Microsoft Passport account, you’ve already got a Windows Live ID.

Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging program that allows you to exchange instant messages with a designated list of contacts over the Internet. An instant message is an online typewritten conversation in real time between two or more contacts. Instant messages require both parties to be online, and the communication is instantaneous. Before you can use Windows Live Messenger, you need a Windows Live ID, which you can get for no charge from Microsoft. After you start Windows Live Messenger, you sign in to let others online know you are connected. When you’re done, you sign out.

If you are having problems signing into Windows Live Messenger, you might need to add the program (MSNmsgr.exe) to your firewall exceptions list. If that doesn’t help, you might need to check the Microsoft .NET Messenger Service status, which is the online service provided by Microsoft that makes it possible for you to use Windows Live Messenger or MSN Messenger. Microsoft is continually updating Windows Messenger with new functionality. When a software update is available, Windows Live Messenger displays a message, where you can download and install the upgrade.

When you sign in with Windows Live Messenger, the program notifies contacts currently online from your Contacts list that you are available to chat. While you’re signed in, you might need to leave your computer for a meeting or lunch. Instead of signing out, you can change your online status to let your contacts know that you’ll be right back, or that you’re not available at the moment for other reasons.

Change Status Preferences

1. Select Tools, and then click Options.

2. In the left pane, click Personal.

3. Select or clear the Show me as “Away” when I’m inactive for X minutes check box, and then enter the number of inactive minutes you want, if necessary.

4. Select or clear the Show me as “Busy” and block my alerts when I’m running a full-screen program or presentation settings are turned on check box.

5. Click OK.

Before you start using Windows LIve Messenger, you can customize the program to show the menu bar if you prefer, automatically sign in, and display personalized information. You can change your display name, provide a personal message, and select a picture to represent you while you communicate with others online. Instead of selecting a regular static picture, you can select a dynamic display picture (New!) or character that provides animation, such as a WeeMee, MeeGos, Quebles, or Kiwee.

Access and Show or Hide Menus

• Access and Show Menus. Click the Show Menu button at the top of the window or on the toolbar to display menus, and then click Show the menu bar.

• Hide Menus. Click the Hide the menu bar button.

Change Sign In Preferences

1. Select Tools, and then click Options.

2. In the left pane, click General.

3. Select or clear the check boxes with the sign in options you want to change:

   1. Run this program when Windows starts

   2. Allow automatic sign in when connected to the Internet

   3. Show Windows Live Today

   4. Use the same display picture and personal message

4. Click OK.

Change Personal Information

1. Select Tools, and then click Options.

2. In the left pane, click Personal.

3. Type the name you want others to see when you are online.

4. Type a personal message for your contacts to see.

5. To show a display picture, select the Show my display picture and allow other to see it check box, click Change Picture, select a picture, and then click OK.

6. Click OK.

Before you can send instant messages to other people, they need to be in your Contacts list. You can add a person who has a Windows Live ID or a Yahoo member (New!) to your Contacts list by using the Add a contact button. If the person that you want to contact doesn’t have Windows Live Messenger or an ID, you can send the person an e-mail with information about getting and installing Windows Live Messenger and obtaining an ID.

Add an Outline Contact

1. Double-click the Windows Live Messenger icon in the notification area of the taskbar, and then sign in, if necessary.

2. Click the Add a contact button.

   

3. Type the e-mail address of the person you want to add.

4. If the person doesn’t have Windows Live Messenger, type a personal invitation message.

5. Type a nickname that others see during a conversation.

6. To add a contact to a group, click the Group button arrow, and then select a group.

7. In the Contact, Personal, Work, and Notes sections, enter the information you want to include.

8. Select or clear the Subscribe to updates for this contact check box.

9. Click Add contact.

Did You Know?

You can quickly delete a contact. Right-click a contact, click Delete contact, select or clear the Also block this contact and Also remove from my hotmail contacts check boxes, and then click Delete contact.

As your Contacts list grows, you may want to organize your contacts into groups or remove the ones you no longer use. Windows Live Messenger makes it easy to organize them into predefined groups and groups that you create. Windows Live Messenger comes with four predefined groups by default: Coworkers, Family, Friends, and Other Contacts. Once you have organized your groups, you can select or clear contact check boxes to modify it. You can use the Up and Down buttons next to the group name to hide and display contacts in a group.

Create a Contacts Group

1. Click the Contacts menu, and then click Create a group.

   Timesaver

   Right-click a group, and then click Create new group.

2. Type a name for the new group.

3. Select the contacts or type the e-mail addresses you want to add to the group.

4. Click Save.

Modify Contacts and Contact Groups

• Edit Contact. Right-click the contact, click Edit contact, make changes, and then click Save.

• Edit Contact Group. Right-click the contact group, click Edit group, select or clear contact check boxes, and then click Save.

• Rename Contact Group. Right-click the contact group, click Rename group, type a name, and then press Enter.

• Delete Contact Group. Right-click the contact group, click Delete group, and then click Yes.

An instant message is an online typewritten conversation in real-time between two or more contacts. As you type an instant message, you can format your messages by changing fonts and text color and by inserting backgrounds and color schemes (New!). Each message can contain up to 400 characters. If you have a writing input device and Microsoft Windows Journal Viewer installed, you can also draw or handwrite (New!) your messages. You cannot send an instant message to more than one person, but you can invite other people using the same messaging service to participate in an existing conversation; you can include up to five people in a conversation.

Send and Receive Instant Messages

1. Double-click the Windows Live Messenger icon in the notification area of the taskbar, and then sign in, if necessary.

   When a message arrives, an alert appears. Click the alert to open Windows Live Messenger.

2. Double-click a contact or right-click a contact group and then click Send an instant message to this group.

3. Type your message in the box at the bottom of the window.

   To start a new line while typing, press Shift+Enter.

4. If you want to handwrite your message, click the Handwrite tab, and then ink your message using the formatting buttons.

5. Click Send or press Enter, and then wait for a reply.

6. If you want to add another person to the conversation, click the Show Menu button, point to Actions, click Invite a contact to join this conversation, and then double-click the person you want to add.

7. When you’re done, click the Close button to end the session.

Apply a Background or Color Scheme to the Conversation Window

• Background. In the Conversation window, click the Background button, and then select a background. To set options or remove a background, click Show all.

• Color Scheme. In the Conversation window, click the Color Scheme button, and then select a color or click More Colors to select a custom color.

Did You Know?

You can search for contacts. Click in the Find a contact or number box at the top of the main Messenger window, and then start typing to display results. Click the Click here to clear text button to clear the search.

As you type an instant message, you can format your messages by inserting graphical symbols called emoticons, such as a happy face, which help convey your emotions, or graphical animations, such as as a wink (New!). If your conversation needs a nudge to get people conversing, you can use the Nudge button (New!). If you want to add a little audio to an instant message, you can record a voice clip (New!) and send it to others involved in the conversation. The voice clip appears in the conversation window and plays automatically. You need a microphone to record a voice clip and audio speakers to hear a clip.

Insert a Wink

1. In the Conversation window, click the Wink button.

2. Click the wink icon you want to insert into the conversation.

   1. To preview or remove a wink, click Show all.

If you no longer want to receive instant messages from a specific contact, you can block the contact from directly sending you instant messages. When you block a contact, you appear to be offline to the person, who doesn’t know blocking is turned on. If another contact invites you and someone you blocked into a conversation, the blocked person can send you messages indirectly. Blocking a contact moves them from your Allow list to your Block list. Deleting a blocked contact from your Contacts list does not remove the block.

Block or Unblock a Contact

1. Select Tools, and then click Options.

2. In the left pane, click Privacy.

3. Select the contacts you want to block, and then click Block.

4. Select the contacts you don’t want to block, and then click Allow.

5. To find out which users have added you to their Contacts list, click View, and then click Close.

6. Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can quickly block or unblock a contact. Right-click the contact, and then click Block contact or Unblock contact. You can also click the Block button during a conversation.

You can block a person not in your Contacts list. Click the Show Menu button, point to Actions, and then click Send an instant message, type the person’s e-mail address in the results list box, click OK, and then click the Block button.

You can allow others to add you to their Contacts list without seeking your approval. Select Tools, click Options, click Privacy in the left pane, clear the Alert me when other people add me to their contact list check box, and then click OK.

While you are conversing in Windows Live Messenger, you can send a contact a single file. You can send many different types of files, including documents, photos, and music. When you send a file, a request to transfer the file is sent to your contact. You are notified when your contact accepts or declines your request. Before you receive files over the Internet, make sure you have up-to-date virus protection software on your computer. When you receive a file, the Windows Live Messenger provides security information to help you understand more about the file. If your computer is located on a network behind a firewall, you might not be able to send files to those outside the firewall. If you want to send files to those behind the firewall, you need to manually open the connection; check with your network administrator for details.

With Sharing Folders (New!), you can share the same files with more than one contact and update the content automatically. To share or transfer files, you and your contact must have Windows XP or Windows Vista and Windows Live Messenger 8 or later. You also need to set sharing options in Windows Liver Messenger. After you’re set up, you can simply drag files to share them. When you are online with a contact, the files you share are automatically synchronized. When you no longer want to share files with a contact using Sharing Folders, you can remove the contact’s shared folder, which doesn’t delete them from contacts. To keep your computer safe, you can set options to reject potentially unsafe files and install the free Windows Live OnCare safety scanner to check for viruses, and other disk management operations.

Set Sharing Folders Options

1. Select Tools, and then click Options

2. In the left pane, click Sharing Folders.

3. Select the Use a sharing folder when I drag a file onto a contact’s name in my contact list check box.

4. Select the When I drag a file onto a contact’s name, automatically create a sharing folder if that contact doesn’t already have one check box.

   

5. In the left pane, click File Transfer.

6. To reject potentially unsafe file types, select the Automatically reject file transfers for known unsafe file types check box.

   When you try to share a potentially unsafe file an exclamation point appears over the icon for the file, and a Tooltip describes the security reason for blocking the file.

7. To scan received files, select the Scan files for viruses using check box, and click Browse or click Install to use the free virus scanner for Messenger.

8. Click OK.

Share Files Using a Shared Folder

• To share files, drag them from your file folder onto the contact in the main Messenger window or drag them onto the message area in the Conversation window.

• To add files, pause sharing, or view the Activity log, click the Sharing Folders button in the main Messenger window.

Important

If a contact deletes a shared file, the local file on your hard drive is permanently deleted. However, if you delete a shared file, you can recover it from the recycle bin.

Stop Sharing Files

1. Select Tools, and then click Options.

2. In the left pane, click Sharing Folders.

3. Select the contact you want to remove.

4. Click Remove.

5. Click OK.

When used with Windows Vista and the right hardware, Windows Live Messenger provides state-of-the-art computer communications features. With Windows Live Messenger, you can talk to others over the Internet as you do on a regular phone, and you can use video to see others and let others see you as you converse (New!). Once you set up your computer hardware—Webcams, microphones and speakers—and related software, you’re ready to communicate over the Internet. You have two communication choices: audio only, and audio and video. With audio only, you speak into a microphone and hear the other person’s response over your computer’s speakers. With audio and video, you send video to others so they receive live images as well as sound. If the contacts you call don’t have a video camera, they will see you, but you won’t see them.

Have a Video Conversation

1. Double-click the Windows Live Messenger icon in the notification area of the taskbar, and then sign in, if necessary.

2. Double-click the contact you want to send an instant message.

3. Click the Video Call button, and then wait for the other person to accept the invitation.

4. Use the controls to adjust the volume of the speakers or microphone.

5. Start talking.

6. When you’re done, click the Close button.

Did You Know?

You can set Webcam video options. In the Conversation window, click the Show Menu button, point to Actions, point to Video, and then select commands to show your Webcam or View a contact’s Webcam.

Windows Live Messenger allows you to dial regular phones through a voice service provider using the Internet or a modem on your computer. Once the modem connects to the number you are dialing, called the remote party, you can pick up your phone and talk. This feature is useful for people who would otherwise be spending a fortune in long distance calling. It’s also helpful for people who spent a lot of time on their computer. When you use Windows Live Messenger, having your modem’s speakers on is helpful so you can hear what is actually happening with the connection. If your computer is located on a network behind a firewall, you might not be able to make phone calls; check with your network administrator for details.

Make a Phone Call With Windows Live Messenger

1. Click the Show Menu button, point to Actions, point to Call, and then select one of the following commands:

   1. Call a contact’s computer.

   2. Call a contact’s phone.

   3. Call a phone.

   

   Timesaver

   If you’re in a conversation, click Make a phone call button, and then select a phone number.

2. If you need a voice service provider, follow the instructions to sign up.

3. Select a contact or type a phone number, including the area code (even for local calls), and then type a name after it for easy identification on your list.

4. Click OK or Call.

   When you call a contact for the first time, click the link for the Windows Live Call Web site to authenticate your ID.

5. Use the controls to adjust the volume of the speakers or microphone.

If you have a wireless device, such as a Web-enabled cellular phone, a pager, a Smartphone, Pocket PC Phone, or Pocket PC, you can set it up to receive instant messages using Windows Live Messenger (New!). When you send a message to a contact’s mobile device, the message includes your e-mail address and phone number unless the mobile device doesn’t support the feature. If your contact’s mobile device is not turned on, the message might be delayed or not arrive at all.

Sometimes the best way to fix a computer problem is to get help from a friend or colleague who knows how to solve it. If your friend or colleague lives too far away to help you in person, you can use Remote Assistance within Windows Live Messenger and an Internet connection to help you get the support and answers you need. You can ask a trusted contact in another location to connect to your computer over the Internet and provide support in real time. After connecting to your computer, you can invite a contact to view your desktop, chat online using instant messages, talk online using a microphone and speakers, and send files. Instead of simply talking about a solution, sometimes you need someone to show you how to perform the steps before you fully understand the procedure. With Remote Assistance, you can give a contact control of your computer whereby he or she can demonstrate how to perform the procedure using his or her mouse and keyboard while you watch in real time. If your computer is located on a network behind a firewall, you might not be able to use remote assistance; check with your network administrator for details.

Ask for Remote Assistance

1. Double-click the Windows Messenger icon in the notification area of the taskbar, and then sign in, if necessary.

2. Double-click the contact you want to send an instant message.

3. Click the Show Menu button, point to Actions, and then click Request remote assistance, and then wait for acceptance to the invitation.

4. Enter a password twice, and then click OK.

5. Click Yes to let this person connect to your computer.

6. To have a conversation, type a message to explain your problem, and then press Enter.

   

7. If the person asks to take control of your computer, click Yes or No.

8. To take back control of your computer, click Stop Sharing on the toolbar.

9. When you’re done, click Disconnect, and then click Yes.

Windows Live Messenger allows you to customize the program in many ways, including the display, the sign in process, message delivery, alerts and sounds, file sharing, file transfer, privacy, security, and connection status. To change program options, select a category in the left pane of the Options dialog box, and then select or specify the individual options you want. On the left side of the main Messenger window, tabs provide easy access to commonly used products and services. If the tab you use most often is at the bottom of the list, you can rearrange the tabs to suit your own needs. If the tabs are in the way, you can hide them all together.

Customize Windows Live Messenger

1. Select Tools, and then click Options.

2. In the left pane, click Messages.

3. Select or clear the options to determine how you want messages to appear or be responded to.

4. In the left pane, click Alerts and Sounds.

   

5. Select the alert check boxes you want to use.

6. Click the event you want to set the sound for, click Browse, select a sound, and then click Open.

7. In the left pane, click Tabs.

8. To arrange tabs, select the tab you want to move, and then click Up or Down.

9. To hide tabs, select the Hide tabs check box.

10. Click OK.