Microsoft ‘Forces’ upgrade to Windows Live Messenger 9.0 v14.0

Anyone who uses Windows Live Messenger will have recently noticed that Microsoft are making it compulsory to upgrade their MSN client to the newest version, Live Messenger 9.0 (2009) v14.0 ( v14.0.8089.726 to be precise!)

Most Live Messenger IM users will likely be using either 8.1, 8.5, or an earlier version of 9.0, but until now they have been able to opt-out of the now mandatory update. As of yesterday (7th November 2009), users will notice that they’re being prompted by a small grey pop-up from Microsoft informing them that they have to upgrade their IM client. Or cease using it altogether. It’s a simple ‘Yes’ / ‘No’ option. Anyone who may still be using any older versions (such as v8.0 Beta) will simply be ‘Locked out’ of  any and all IM communication

Many end-users are in uproar about the compulsory update – Most are happy with their current versions, or have tried the newer version and disliked it so much that they’ve returned to an earlier version (Myself included). Microsoft are under fire from various internet groups for ‘Forcing’ their new version onto end-users, with some online petitions aimed towards allowing users of  previous versions the right to still use them – Most of whom abhor the different layouts and ways the IM client does things

For example:

• Contact names within the main Live Messenger window are now in a much larger font, with no way to decrease the size
• Contact names are not listed correctly upon installing the newer version, and revert either to saved nick-names or actual eMail addresses
  
• Message window now displays user profile pictures on the left-hand side, whereas they used to be on the right. There seems to be no way to change this for those who prefer them on the other side
• There are also reports of too much wasted space on the new message window, although users are able to hide this wasted space as well as profile pictures, albeit with distortion to any background images used in the message window panel
  
• Users are unable to modify the message window size as much as previously as the message windows fit to a grid, rather than allowing manual manipulation of the window size
• Backgrounds within the message window do not display properly as they once did with earlier versions  of the IM client

Many users of the Live Messenger IM service seem to be upgrading, although many of them begrudgingly as it’s more of a ‘Take it or leave it’ situation – Perhaps with enough public demand, Microsoft will cave-in and release an updated version which is more akin to version 8.5 which is what many Live Messenger consider to be the best version to date

Softpedia.com reports in more detail

This has not been the first time that Microsoft have released software which users felt uncomfortable with – In 2007, Microsoft famously released the Windows Vista operating system, much to public disappointment, with the majority of users downgrading to the previous software version, Windows XP