Microsoft has kicked up a notch an instant messaging resource designed to allow the integration of Windows Live Messenger into third-party websites. The evolution of Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit has taken the toolkit from version 3.5 to 3.7, introducing various improvements and integration with the Microsoft ASP.NET Ajax Library. Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit 3.7 is available as of today, February 2nd, 2010, to all web developers that want to integrate Microsoft IM client functionality into their websites, and allow users to communicate with both web-based and client-based versions of Windows Live Messenger.

Offline Instant Messaging is a new capability added in v3.7. “Users can now send instant messages (IM) to offline contacts just as they can with the Windows Live Messenger desktop client,” Microsoft explained. At the same time, version 3.7 Messenger Web Toolkit controls are available as ASP.NET Ajax Library controls. Developers “can create Messenger Web Toolkit controls by using standard declarative and imperative methods of the ASP.NET Ajax Library,” the Redmond company added.

At the same time, Microsoft has worked to make sure that Windows Live Messenger delivered via the toolkit is available to as many end users as possible, independent of the browser they are running. According to Keiji Kanazawa, program manager, Windows Live Messenger Contacts and Messenger Platform, v3.7 adds support for Firefox 3.6 and Chrome 3. In addition to Offline IM functionality and ASP.NET Ajax Library integration, Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit V3.7 also offers improved Application Contacts.

“Starting with version 3.7, application contacts must be declared explicitly on every page by default. Application contacts no longer carry over from page to page automatically. If a user is having an IM conversation with an application contact, that application contact does carry over automatically along with the conversation. This makes application behavior more predictable. It helps the user avoid the 250 contact limit. Version 3.7 also enables applications to define whether an application contact should appear in the contact list by default,” the software giant said.

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