Member Avatar for johnroach1985

merry meet,
I just keep getting e-mails from my friends and msn telling me that msn is not going to be free within the next 3 weeks it is said that once it is not free the green msn man will change to blue.Wondering if this is true or a hoax...

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Short answer: that 2005-style e-mail was a classic chain-mail hoax. As noted, these messages use urgent language and a “forward to everyone” demand to spread — they don’t reflect any legitimate Microsoft policy. Fact‑checking resources explain how and why those forwarding hoaxes keep circulating. (snopes.com)

A quick, factual timeline to clear up the confusion that followed those forwards: the client known as “MSN Messenger” was rebranded to Windows Live Messenger around 2005 and stayed a free, ad/bundle‑supported product for users for years. After Microsoft bought Skype in 2011, Microsoft announced that Messenger would be retired and that users would be migrated to Skype — the shutdown date was March 15, 2013. So there was never a sudden “paywall” flip like the chain mail warned about; the service was eventually phased out as part of product consolidation. (en.wikipedia.org)

Practical guidance (what’s useful years later): don’t forward alarmist e‑mails; verify any claim about paid services on the official Microsoft support/press pages or reputable tech outlets before acting; look for the usual hoax signs (threats, requests to forward, vague “50 million” type numbers). ’s point about ad revenue explains why Microsoft had little reason to suddenly charge users in 2005, and ’s note about the Windows Live migration was closer to the real path Microsoft took. For historical confirmation and migration instructions, Microsoft’s support and contemporary news coverage document the move. (windows.microsoft.com)

If the thread remains as a historical reference: mark it solved and consider adding a short “hoax / later retired” note so future searchers see both that the 2005 claim was false and what actually happened to Messenger.

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Member Avatar for Opopp

Well, I have no idea.


...But if I was Microsoft, I'd sure as hell make people pay for it! Just look at the OBSCENE ammount of people who use it! Oh they'll pay for it!

On the color change, I like it the way it is. On a private note, the best version was 6.2. Who the hell needs any of the shit with the newer version. Not I! "Nudge" ...??!

Member Avatar for nanosani

I didnt get anything like that ...

Member Avatar for talkfreelance

It's a hoax, MSN will always be free.....people won't pay for it they will just use an alternative service. They make money through the adverts, it's simply a hoax.

Member Avatar for jwenting

It's a well known and rather old hoax.
Typically it's accompanied by "send this message to all your friends, MSN will not stay free unless this message is sent to 50 million people in the next 3 months" or something like that.
ALL such things are hoaxes.

Member Avatar for moderate_rock48

Yea, people would simply change to ICQ, AIM, yahoo instant messenger if MSN charged for there messenger.

Member Avatar for johnroach1985

It's a well known and rather old hoax.
Typically it's accompanied by "send this message to all your friends, MSN will not stay free unless this message is sent to 50 million people in the next 3 months" or something like that.
ALL such things are hoaxes.

Yup it came in mail...Thanks for the info....

Member Avatar for jwenting

Yea, people would simply change to ICQ, AIM, yahoo instant messenger if MSN charged for there messenger.

The same hoax has been doing the rounds about those as well periodically :mrgreen:

Member Avatar for astrofreke

msn messenger is always going to be free. those emails are just forwards. it's just like the emails that say if you don't forward you will be booted off of hotmail. it's all a scam to get email addresses for major corporations.

Member Avatar for jwenting

No, no "major corporation" is behind this.
It starts as a joke and then someone takes it seriously and starts sending it to several hundred people.
When that happens a few times it gains critical mass.

There is NO way for anyone to know who is getting that message unless they themselves sent it to you personally (and even then there's no way to know if you got it for sure).

Member Avatar for jbennet

But the whole of msn is basically gonna be shut down soon as we migrate to the new LIVE! system

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