Behind Hotmail's Windows Live Messenger

Microsoft has lived up to its promise to bring instant messaging functionality to its online email service. In this regard, the Redmond company started rolling out Web IM for Windows Live Hotmail at the start of the week in selected markets around the world. The software giant promised that all Hotmail users would end up being able to take advantage of the integration between Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Hotmail as the feature will be introduced gradually worldwide. Behind the new functionality in Hotmail Web IM is nothing more than the Messenger Web Toolkit.

“Last month, while we were busy launching the Messenger Web Toolkit beta at Mix09, Hotmail quietly introduced its Web IM feature in a few markets. Yesterday, Hotmail Web IM became available in a lot more markets, including Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the USA,” revealed Keiji Kanazawa, program manager, Windows Live Messenger Contacts and Messenger Platform.

Microsoft indicated that it was user feedback that catalyzed the integration between Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Hotmail. “Here, at the Messenger Web Toolkit team, we are very excited because Hotmail Web IM is built on the Messenger Library just like the rest of the Messenger Web Toolkit,” Kanazawa added. “Hotmail relies on the Messenger Web Toolkit to deliver IM for hundreds of millions of users. Why don't you?”

The fact of the matter is that what Microsoft has done with Web IM in Windows Live Hotmail, developers can do for third-party websites. The Redmond company has stressed repeatedly that the integration of Windows Live Messenger as Web IM into online properties contributes to improving the social networking experience for end users, while allowing them to send instant messages even though the IM client is not installed on a specific computer.

Windows Live Messenger 9.0 (2009) is available for download via this link.