Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue the Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger) service on March 15. Microsoft had already announced in early November that it would be discontinuing Messenger. The service has since been fully integrated into the latest version of Skype. Anyone who installs the new desktop or Windows 8 version of Skype and enters their Microsoft account will automatically see all their existing Messenger contacts and be able to start chatting with them right away. Starting March 15, existing, older Messenger programs will no longer work.
Microsoft released the Lync 2013 application for the new operating system at the same time as Windows 8. Previously, Lync was known as Office Communications. This software is, in a sense, a business version of Microsoft’s own Windows Live Messenger. Users can share statuses and chat via text, audio, and video using Lync. Microsoft primarily targets professional use with this program. At Alistar, you can turn to us for your questions about the capabilities of Lync and Lync Server.
