MS is trying to do what AOL tried to do a while ago...force "their" users to log into the official-MS Messenger servers by using "official" products, such as MS Messenger, and no third party like Trillian/etc.

Problem is, as AOL found out, the guys that run Trillian, which is a donation-run product that can be used FREE OF CHARGE with NO spyware, NO reg hacks, and NO costly overhead, they're pretty smart and destroyed every "fix" that AOL tried to do to prevent Trillian users from logging into their servers. MS will learn from this as well.

IMHO, I would much rather donate to a cause that gives me a good product without any "extras" unless stated up front. Every major function that Windows tries to do, I find a third party that does it better, and if it works just like it says minus the headaches, I buy or donate. I've donated $85.00 to date to the Trillian cause. I've replaced notepad/wordpad, I use Winamp instead of WMP, I use Radlight to view movies/etc...the list goes on.

Support the third parties...for they give you a true choice.