Disabling Messenger Spam

[GreekGoddess]

On XP, I went in and followed the steps to edit the file so that the messenger would show up on add/remove programs so I could get rid of it...and it worked, until I opened outlook express and it seemed to install itself again. I don't know what the heck that's all about, but the two of them are integrated (contact list/e-mail addresses) and I can't get rid of it at all.

[MrLinus]

AH-HA! I knew it! It's a conspiracy!!! *BAH*

That's probably what happened with me. But I think the school has finally gotten their firewall act together and I haven't seen any problems since. *knocks on head* Hopefully.

I still think it's stupid that MS has this service there. Maybe I'm getting senile in my old age but is there really a legitimate use for this today?

[HTRegz]

I'm just guessing here but I think MsM and GG are talking about two different things. From the way I'm reading this.. GG is talking about MSN/Windows Messenger (IM) and MsM is talking about the Windows Messenger Service.

As for it's use in today's world. Your guess is as good as mine... But if I were to venture a guess.. I would have to say that it is _POSSIBLY_ useful for notifications to all the users on a network. If you have an internal network, where you don't have to worry about spam getting threw, it could be used to notify users if you have to take down a server, or if something drastic is going to happen. It's a nice way to get a quick message to everyone, and not have to rely on are they going to read the memo, or are they going to get the e-mail in time.

[MrLinus]

Eh! I just do the BOFH thing and shut the network off.

[tonybradley]

I was going to say the same thing- a lot of users confuse the Windows Messenger Service with the Microsoft Messenger instant-messaging service.

As far as the Microsoft Messenger instant messaging service goes- it seems to be VERY tightly integrated with Windows XP. They don't make it easy to not remove and even if you think you didn't install it or successfully removed it it keeps reappearing. It reminds me of how in the Windows 98 installation you could de-select the option to install the Online Services (like AOL) and yet the folder would still be placed on your hard drive- sometimes on the desktop.

The Windows Messenger Service is the service that is used for these pop-up spam messages. It is there for simple network communications- having a printer alert you when its out of paper and things like that. Some businesses may have applications like network monitoring software that could rely on WMS to send alerts, but I believe most home users can safely disable the service and not notice any impact.