Like Facebook, they're only using XMPP for client-to-server. That is, you can use any run of the mill Jabber client to talk to your friends on MSN. I'll be impressed if they choose to do federation (server-to-server) like Google does so that you can use your Gmail account to chat with your Hotmail friends. That would be handy.

So probably, there's just no more money to make with IM or people are moving away from MSN to Facebook. Funny how becoming more and more irrelevant can make people suddenly be "interested" in open standards.

Considering how close IE9 and IE10 are to getting web standards right, I suspect that profitability isn't the key here. Its competition.

Sweet Olark (http://www.olark.com) for Windows Live Beta on it's way :-) -- I bet we could release it in a week.

Interesting. I use Windows Live Messenger with my normal email address - [email protected].

I also use XMPP through GChat, through apps for domains on the domain ducker.org.uk

I wonder how they're going to deal with that...

Apparently it's <oauth-access-token>@messenger.live.com.

Thank you!

Most likely: "[email protected]"@some-ms-xmpp-url

think one reason might be because people are accessing IM via all sorts of wacky mobile apps, to keep them using their MSN accounts, need to make the protocol accessible - XMPP the obvious way to do that

...which is probably why Facebook Chat also supports XMPP clients. Shame that they don't do federation, though.

I approve of this.

Anyone wants to bet they'll find some way to "enhance" it?

It seems that they chose to "enhance" it with a proprietary authentication mechanism ("X_MESSENGER_OAUTH2"): http://www.process-one.net/en/blogs/article/details_on_msns_...

Because, you know, it would be silly if you could just use any off-the-shelf XMPP client/library...

It's not an "enhancement." It uses OAuth in a completely standard way. It was done to avoid people entering their Windows Live usernames and passwords all over the place, especially now considering how much can be tied to a WL account with Win 8.

I was part of the team that did this and we went to great lengths to make sure that we were in full compliance with the relevant RFCs.

What's your take on this, hamidpalo: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/messengerconne...

I think the Facebook example provided in that post is exactly what they are trying to avoid- people entering their usernames and passwords into random chat clients. After all, you have no idea what they do with them.

And then they (Facebook) expect you to give them your mail- and other IM credentials.

At least they do have DIGEST-MD5 auth, so you can still login with most normal XMPP clients.

Bets like mine are so easy it's not even fun.

About time!