The initial Beta for Windows Live Messenger 9.0 is still alive and kicking, but not for long. In fact, Microsoft is getting ready to kill off the testing program orbiting around the first testing milestone for its next iteration of Windows Live Messenger. During the last week of June 2008, the Redmond company plans to pull the plug on the Windows Live Messenger 9.0 Beta. In anticipation of this move, the official Beta testers for the instant messaging client received email notifications from Microsoft, informing them of the end date for the testing program.

"For the past several months we've been gathering feedback from not only you, but also from past beta testers' comments, other external Windows Live Messenger customers, and Microsoft employees. We've compiled a thorough list of feedback, and it's now time to shift our focus to building the new version of Windows Live Messenger. Therefore, on June 24, we will close the official beta testing program," reads an excerpt out the Microsoft email as cited by Mess.be.

Windows Live messenger 9.0 debuted into what was designed to be a private Beta program in November 2007, following the availability of the RTM version of Windows Live Messenger 8.5. At that time, Microsoft was looking for a select pool of testers and sent out a limited number of invitations. The Redmond company referred to the initial testing milestone of Windows Live Messenger 9.0 as the foundation for what the next version of the instant messaging client would deliver.

By the end of November 2007, the official Windows Live Messenger 9.0 Beta build 9.0.1407.1107 had been leaked and was available for download across the web. Microsoft fought the flood of leaked Windows Live Messenger 9.0 copies, and managed to discontinue downloads from prominent searches, but the IM client is still up for grabs via warez and torrent trackers even at over seven months since the first beta.

All this time, Microsoft has been gathering feedback from the testing community and taking input from in-house sources. In excess of 5,000 messages via newsgroups as well as more than 1,000 bugs and suggestions submissions have already been taken into account, with the Messenger team continuing even at this point in time to process new issues.

According to the email, current Windows Live Messenger 9.0 users will be able to continue using the Beta version of the IM client even after the initial testing program is discontinued. However, after June 24, Windows Live Messenger 9.0 will no longer be offered as a download through Connect. Microsoft indicated that a new beta of Windows Live Messenger 9.0 would drop in the second half of 2008, but failed to indicate a specific date.

Windows Live Messenger 8.5 is available for download here.