I'm trying the MSN Beta (on a Win98 machine if it matters)
and so far I'm liking it.
The biggest thing I was glad for, the submitting feedback
link in the help menu...doesn't work.
So I thought I would post a few suggestions here. Note
that all suggestions are based from the version 7.0.0425
(MSN Messenger BETA 7).
First of all, in the message window, 'Click here to
customize MSN Messenger'....this has got to go. It's
visually unappealing, and after I've customized MSN
Messenger the way I want it, completely unnecessary.
Perhaps if this was left to the 'Tools' menu in the main
window, that'd be fine.
Secondly, timestamps. As it is, you only get the
timestamp of the last message sent and that's only when
the space there isn't being used by something else
(Webcam/Mic connection, or they're currently typing). I
would love to have a toggle for seeing the timestamps of
the messages in the window, including the 'recent history'.
Third, I'd love to be able to rename contacts on my list.
I don't know about you, but I know several people who
change their names often, and sometimes to long quotes and
things that aren't even 'names'. Sometimes this is used
as an away message, and helpful, but a lot of the time it
annoys me. I, personally, would love to have some sort of
way of changing how their name is viewed by me. Perhaps
somewhere you would be able to view their 'current name',
perhaps in the "To:" area just above the message area.
For instance: "To: James (Thortok2000 - Currently
sleeping) <Thortok2000@msn.com>" And in the display
window, it would say "James says: Sorry about my away
message, people are bothering me."
And fourth, this one isn't a big deal, but could we hide
all addresses on the block/allow lists that are NOT on our
normal buddy list? It may just me being picky, but my
list is awfully long, full of people I don't even know or
have spoken to once, who for some reason or other have me
on their contact list. This also includes people who
don't even use the messenger anymore and I know will never
delete me. I don't really know what can be done about
this, but I don't really like being on strangers' contact
lists. What's even worse, really, is /knowing/ I'm on
their contact list.
So, if the option for me to know everytime someone adds me
is ON, then keep it as it is. If, however, I choose not
to be notified, could we adjust the block list so that
whichever side 'everyone else' is on, it's the only entry
there?