It’s been known for a little while that Microsoft is planning to lay Windows Live Messenger to rest in favour of Skype. Microsoft has already made the first step by allowing Skype to merge account information with Messenger and also Facebook (which has been available for a while now).
Of course, there may be early adopters that are keen to get rid of one additional IM client and consolidate on Skype but there is perhaps one or two limitations that may delay or dampen your migration.
Unfortunately, Skype doesn’t support group messaging with contacts still on Messenger. While most people perhaps only chat one on one it may be a deal breaker that use group messaging to coordinate activities or tasks in real time. This can be worked around if your affected Messenger contacts also move to Skype but everyone may not be ready to take the plunge. Other functionality that is lost in the transition is the ability to use custom emoticons or send nudges. These features may be contentious as some may find both rather annoying while others find them fun or handy.
Who knows what Microsoft has in store for Skype in the future particularly when it comes to putting Messenger out to pasture but it’s worth knowing what will change if you migrate now.
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