BBC: Microsoft to close MSN Messenger Service in March 2013

[Shlomi Fish]

Hi David,

On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:29:38 +0000
David Woolley <forums at david-woolley.me.uk> wrote:

> According to the BBC, Microsoft will shut down MSN Messenger in March 
> 2013, using Skype as the replacement.  I guess there will be a lot of 
> lobbying for native Skype support in Pidgin from people who don't 
> understand the licensing and trade secrets issues.
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20222998
> 

Two questions:

1. Would not it be possible to reverse-engineer the Skype protocol and
interface with it? See for example:

http://www.techspot.com/news/44093-skype-protocol-reverse-engineered-source-posted-online.html

I'm not sure if Microsoft being recognised a monopoly can legally sue
developers who try to interoperate with its software.

2. Doesn't it mean that support for Google Talk/XMPP Voice on Windows for
Pidgin is now a higher priority? Or are there other FOSS clients for
Windows that support it?

Regards,

	Shlomi Fish

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