The use of Windows Live Messenger IM Control is getting more and more popular. Angus Logan just posted on his blog that the Dutch Microsoft ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) Team is putting it to good use. ALM describes methods to manage software development and IT initiatives by automating the process from end to end, and integrating the information from the various steps. Integration provides consistency and accuracy and also introduces opportunities for automation. The Dutch team has a page where Dutch citizens can speak (IM) directly with one of the ALM experts. All they have to do is click the Messenger status icon in front of their names to open an Instant Messaging window and start chatting. Help on the fly, how cool is that?

You too can add the Windows Live Messenger IM Control to your website, Angus Logan has a step-by-step HowTo on his blog. It's quite easy to do.

Previous LiveSide posts on this subject:
Messenger Presence Feature - Coming Soon
Windows Live Messenger IM Control launched 

Now to incorporate it on your website, as we have on LiveSide, allowing your users to show their Messenger Presence is a different story. Scott pointed towards MSDN documentation about this in his article Inviting Users to Share Online Presence. He also wrote a Windows Live Writer plugin to add someone else's online presence as a link in a blog entry: Insert IMMe Link Plugin (handy if you need to show your team's Messenger presence).

Speaking of Messenger presence, you can easily share your Messenger presence with registered LiveSide users right from our homepage. Just click in the upper right for instructions.