Many today blame social networks like Facebook or Twitter as the reason behind people becoming less social, but these are latecomers to the real piece of software that caused people not to leave their homes, become self-confessed technological hermits and lack that personal touch between others.
Yes, way before Facebook chat or Skype meant we never had to leave our homes we had MSN Messenger. Revealed before Christmas but confirmed this week to be discontinued mid-March after Microsoft bought Skype - which includes text chat (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20984820), Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger) will soon be no more.
Anyone of my age will remember days in college and university finding it the best way to speak to friends, send them files and play simple games, well before Farmville and Draw Something became popular. Who remembers the weird emoticons available and the familiar, pleasurable sound, of people logging in?
But, alas like everything, Facebook and Skype have caused its demise but it will always keep a soft spot in the hearts of mid-noughties students who, instead of popping next door or to the next halls to say hello to friends would MSN them instead.
Or, if you were actually busy doing coursework, setting your status to busy.
But then we didn't have as many distractions like Twitter or Facebook so MSN it was. We were the generation before technology pulled as away from things more productive. The vanguard of technology who took Tamagotchis to school to get them banned by teachers who feared they were too distracting, who failed to see the upcoming utlimate classroom-distruptor of mobile phones.
RIP MSN Messenger
What are your memories of the software?
Saturday 12 January 2013
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