First off 2 questions,
Which operating system are you using, and which brand of computer.
Secondly, Windows messenger and MSN messenger are two different programs and hopefully the information below will help sort out which is which.
On Windows XP and presumably later, "
Windows Messenger" is
another instant messaging client, very much like MSN Messenger. It is
installed when you install Windows XP and runs only on
Windows XP.
(The updated Windows Messenger 5.0 also runs on Windows 2000 and can
be
downloaded here).
While Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger look very similar, they in fact
are two separate applications. The good news is that either
can be used to access the same .NET Messaging Service contacts. That's the
default instant messaging service for both and the one you'll use on the
internet.
What that really means is that if all you're doing is instant messaging your
friends and family on the internet, it doesn't matter which one you use and
changing from one to the other is not a problem.
Unfortunately, as I said, they are two different programs. They have
slightly different feature sets and release on different schedules. In
particular, Windows Messenger is more tightly integrated with
applications such as Microsoft Exchange,
Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft
Outlook Express, or the Remote Assistance feature of Windows XP. The
differences and the confusion don't end there, though.
Microsoft has a
Knowledgebase article
that touches on more of the technical differences and provides
instructions for installing and running
both on the same
machine. The good news is that most likely you'll never need to know
how or why you would want to.
But sadly, the confusion does not end there. There is yet another
Windows "Messenger".
On Windows 2000 and Windows XP there is a
service called
"Messenger". It's unfortunately often referred to as the "Windows Messenger"
that is used to present what can best be called "network messages" to a
machine's user. This is
not an instant messaging application, but
rather
software that runs in the background listening for incoming
messages and popping up a very simple box containing the message when
one arrives. The most common example might be in a corporate
environment when you send a document to a network printer. The
messenger service handles the pop-up message that the printer sends
back when it has finished.
Unfortunately the Messenger Service has been exploited by spammers
to pop-up unwanted advertising messages on unprotected machines on the
internet. The average user has absolutely no need for the Windows
Messenger
Service and thus it can safely be turned off. To do
so, go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Administrative Tools ->
Computer Management -> Services & Applications -> Services. Double
click "Messenger" and set the "Startup Type" to
Disabled. You can also "Stop" the service at that same
dialog. (You can also grab a copy of
10 Quick Steps to Stopping Pop-Up
Ads for help stopping this and other pop-up annoyances.)
Think we're done? Guess again. There's one more instant messaging
client I want to briefly mention.
If you play certain games on MSN's Gaming Zone, you may also be
presented with a small application called "ZoneFriends". Yes, you
guessed it, it's yet another instant messaging application. It's specifically
for chatting among the folks you're playing your online games with.
Thankfully though, the word "Messenger" is nowhere to be seen.