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Facebook launches Messenger for Windows

Dec 29, 2011 11:23 pm by Kip Kniskern | 9 comments

Facebook today launched its own stand-alone Windows 7 only client for Facebook chat, Facebook Messenger for Windows (download link). After a bit of a flurry where the link was leaked and posted, apparently first by the Israeli blog TechIT, Facebook came out later in the day and officially launched the new client, confirming to Emil Protalinski at ZDNet that the launch was official.

While Windows Live Messenger users have been able to chat via Facebook for quite some time, the client offers a number of Facebook specific features, including a live updating Facebook ticker and notifications, as well as a dockable client window, and the new client seems to make using Windows Live Messenger for Facebook chat somewhat redundant.

It’s unclear what the future holds for Windows Live Messenger as we know it, as there are already public plans to include messaging into Windows 8 “out of the box”, and Skype, recently acquired by Microsoft, seems to be another redundancy. Microsoft recently announced that it was opening up the Messenger network via XMPP access, allowing 3rd party clients to use the network, which could further lessen the need for a proprietary Windows Live Messenger client, but who knows what the plans are at this point.

You can learn more about Facebook Messenger for Windows on the Facebook help page.

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http://doctorwhofan98.wordpress.com/ doctorwhofan98

I don’t think Facebook Messenger is as good as WL Messenger generally, but it does allow you to send offline messages to your facebook friends. The worst thing about it is that it opens a browser window whenever you click on almost anything – I thought the idea was you didn’t need a browser open!
- http://simenm.tumblr.com/ Simen Mangseth
  
  Agree!
Anonymous

Contrary to the ‘Windows 7-only’ claims, the program runs fine under Vista. Snooping around the executable, there seems to be no particular reason why it couldn’t be made to run on XP – it uses a couple of DWM functions when you adjust the size of the window when it’s snapped to the right side of the monitor, but that’s it. It crashes immediately when run in XP, though the notification area icon appears first. Incidentally, this is one of the few programs I’ve seen to use an appbar.

Anyway, the application is essentially just a WebBrowser control in a couple of windows. It’s hardly comparable to Windows Live Messenger or Skype, which are fully fledged desktop applications. I for one hope that Microsoft continues to develop Windows Live Messenger for the desktop – I don’t want to be left with a toy Metro-style app and nothing else.

Further thoughts: http://blog.quppa.net/2011/12/31/facebook-messenger-for-windows-is-not-just-for-windows-7/
Mario Albertico

Seems like most people manage to somehow put up with Facebook’s web chat, so I don’t really know how this Windows desktop “app” ties into users’ habits. All I know is that the Gmail chat thing is becoming very popular, and not through a desktop app–I use IM less and less because of texting, so it’s interesting to see web chat (both in Facebook and Gmail) remaining very popular among many users.

PS: I couldn’t help but make a link between the Facebook Windows desktop app icon and HP MediaSmart’s icon :P
- Anonymous
  
  I think people put up with the web chat just because that’s where most people socialize online these days.
  
  I don’t know anyone anymore who uses WLM or GChat. So FB it is. And it has improved a lot more in the past 12 months. Haven’t encountered network issues in ages, and the unified inbox/chat feature is great and incredibly handy when the person you’re talking to isn’t on chat.
Anonymous

I like the concept, though it seems pretty redundant for FB users who when on the computer, will more than likely have the full Facebook open in the browser.

As others have said, the one advantage over WLM is being able to message people offline. I have had a lot of chat conversations with people who message me on their mobile and therefore don’t appear online on chat.

As for WLM itself, don’t use it anymore as all of my friends have abandoned it for FB Chat.
Anonymous

Double post
Anonymous

I like Facebook chat combined with Windows Live Messenger a whole lot better. I tried Facebook chat and hated it. It was always full of bugs. The mobile Facebook chat app for Android is useless. You can’t tell who is on or offline and it pretty much does nothing different then what the Facebook app for Android does. I feel Facebbok should just stick to improving their website and privacy controls and leave the messenger side alone.
http://twitter.com/jwk6 Jason Kohlhoff

Does anyone else feel like Facebook is just slowly reinventing a new version of AOL?