Do you IM (Instant Message)?

Well I do, and my weapon of choice is Microsoft’s Windows Live Messenger, or WLM for short. It’s funny how many people still call it MSN; MSN actually stands for Microsoft Network but, oh never mind. I prefer typing out my messages to video and voice chats, saves bandwidth (and I’m just on a 1MBps broadband connection).

Why do I love WLM? It’s stable, has lots of customization features (emotes, winks, etc. both from Microsoft and third-party), and millions of people use it. So much so that if WLM hiccups, you know where to go, don’t you? BigBlueBall. It’s THE place for all things IM, and more.

WLM’s latest version is 8.5.1302.1018. Get it here. Oh, and I also love Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Writer (all obtainable at the same link). In fact I write all my posts in Live Writer before publishing it to my blog. It works seamlessly, and is a no-brainer to understand.

A good third-party program to install for WLM is Messenger Plus! Live. You can customize sounds, email accounts, add scripts, control event and chat logging, use skins, etc. Worth getting, and it’s free. Just opt out of the sponsor program when installing.

And if you want to add me to your WLM, leave a comment here.

One of our submarines is missing, Part 2

Well, I thought Sarah (another good friend and fellow staff member of BigBlueBall) would be pulling a Nessa on me, but fortunately she was just fighting the flu virus, and she’s now back in action. And LOL, she’s going to be taking a bunch of computer exams this week! Just what we need: another computer geek . Anyway, best of luck in those exams, Sarah!

One of our submarines is missing

Or rather, one of our staff is. Nessa wrote to us in BigBlueBall a while back, saying that she was bogged down with stuff, and hence would be pretty much absent from BBB.

Suffice to say that I am concerned about her, as it has been longer than I anticipated. So Nessa, if you’re reading this, please report to base as soon as time permits. Thanks.

Edit: OK, I’ve heard from Nessa. Seems like she’s having some problems with her Internet service. And she’s alright.

BigBlueBall rocks!

Well, what can I say about BigBlueBall (BBB) other than it’s one of the best sites I’ve ever clicked on! I stumbled on to BBB in June 2006 while googling for a problem with Windows Live Messenger (WLM). The staff were so quick to reply to my questions, and I was so impressed that I stayed on and decided to help others out with their IM (instant messaging) problems.

Obviously my charm worked, and Jeff Hester, BBB’s owner, asked me to join BBB as a staff member. I couldn’t say no to this big, affable guy, so I became a staff in 2007. I never thought that spreading help and kindness on the Internet would be so gratifying, but it is. BTW Jeff, I’m still waiting for that staff meeting in Hawaii

And the BBB staff: in a word, fabulous! Jeff, Graham, Heather, Sarah, Doris, Andrew, Nessa, etc. You guys are the best! Thanks for allowing me to be a part of the BBB world.

I’ll be doing more posts on BBB here in the future. Stay tuned!