MSN Cuts Unmonitored Chatrooms Around the Globe

letxa2000 writes "According to MSNBC, Microsoft will be shutting down its unmonitored chat services in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and much of Latin America on October 14th--the day before MSN Messenger will lock out many 3rd party clients. Interestingly, the European manager of MSN is quoted as saying 'This is a decision based upon consumer experiences, child protection and our strategic investment to build up MSN Messenger.' It's starting to become clear that Microsoft is starting up the IM wars again and that the 3rd-party lockout indeed isn't so much about security as it is about marketshare."

Comments

We've got a witch!

[Anonymous Coward]

"It's starting to become clear that Microsoft is starting up the IM wars again and that the 3rd-party lockout indeed isn't so much about security as it is about marketshare."

Your questioning of microsofts motives clearly indicates that you have something to hide. Are you a paedophile?

We have found a nonce! may we burn him?

Re:This is a good thing

[Chris_Jefferson]

Nooo!! For a while now, IRC has been one of the few places where I could (mostly) avoid

"wher cn i get quake warez?"

"u r a faggot!"

"This person used their CD-ROM drive as a cup holder LOLOL!!!111"

I don't want them all coming back :(

Re:IRC is next

[Anonymous Coward]

Can't have people talking to each other now can we? Next for UK data retention, every citizen to be required to wear a microphone so that all verbal communication can be logged with GCHQ, sign language to be criminalised. Keep paying your taxes because it's all for the public good.

Re:What's the problem here?

[Saint Stephen]

Nah, you're missing the strategy: (1) Give away IM; (2) Get everyone in the world to live/breath/eat/sleep your IM service, like Crack; (3) monetize it.

By and large the sheep will fork out their credit cards to keep the crack coming. Monetizing MSN is MS's wet dream.

They'll eventually pull it off.

Re:yeah

[Dot.Com.CEO]

Oh no! Now IRC will be suddenly full of immature people using some kind of weird form of English! Oh wait...

Re:IRC is next

[jsmyth]

Chatrooms were always a waste of time anyway imho...

Horses for courses :)
From the Jargon file:

Hackers who don't indulge in Usenet consider it a huge waste of time and bandwidth; fans of old adventure games such as ADVENT and Zork consider MUDs to be glorified chat systems devoid of atmosphere or interesting puzzles; hackers who are willing to devote endless hours to Usenet or MUDs consider IRC to be a real waste of time; IRCies think MUDs might be okay if there weren't all those silly puzzles in the way.