Windows Live Messenger is a well-known instant messaging service that has been around for many years. However, there are now several alternatives available, including Emesene. Emesene is a free and open source alternative to Windows Live Messenger that has a number of features that make it a better choice for some people. For example, it can be used on both desktop and mobile devices, and it supports voice and video chat. Additionally, Emesene is more secure than Windows Live Messenger because it uses encryption technology to protect your data. Overall, Emesene is an excellent choice for those who want an alternative to Windows Live Messenger that offers more features and security than the original service. ..
Installation & Initial Startup
The nice thing about Emesene is that it is an open source messenger that works on Windows and Linux (cross-platform is always a good thing!).
One point of interest during the install is that Emesene states that it will require 51.4 MB of disk space…but this messenger is more than worth it!
Once you have finished the installation process and started Emesene for the first time, you will see the initial login window. To login you will need to enter your full live.com or hotmail.com address (i.e. user-name@live.com). You can select to have Emesene “Remember me”, “Remember password”, and “Auto-Login”. As with other messengers, you may also select your Status before fully logging in.
Pre & Post Login Menus
Here is a quick look at the pre-login menus…not too much that you can access at the moment.
Once you do get logged in though, you will have access to the following menus.
Plugins Manager
You may access the Plugins Manager through the Options Menu. To add plugins, select the ones that you are interested in and then click “Load New Plugins”. Notice that a brief description is provided for each plugin selected directly beneath the selection area (very nice!).
Preferences
The Preferences Window has three tabs to choose from. Here you can see the first one for General Preferences. You can make adjustments for File Transfers, Desktop Settings, and Connection Settings. Notice that one of the Desktop Settings will require a restart if selected.
In the Appearance Tab you can make adjustments for Icon Size, Themes, Smiles, Text Formatting & Layout in Conversations, and Color Schemes. If you need to, you also have the option to “Revert” to the original default setup (wonderful!).
In the Interface Tab, you can make adjustments regarding Tabs in the Conversation Windows, Displaying of Avatars, and the areas that will display in the Main & Conversation Windows. To make changes in the Main & Conversation Windows, click on any of the “Blue Areas”…this performs the same action as “Select” and “Deselect”. This makes it extremely easy to adjust the layout and display for Emesene’s Windows!
Ready To Go
Here you can see Emesene open and ready to go. Notice that in the upper right corner there is a small mail counter. This does a wonderful job of displaying the amount of new e-mails that you have and quickly adjusts to reflect any changes in that number (i.e. you have read some or all of them).
There is a very nice Right Click Menu available as well.
The Message Window has a very nice layout with a Formatting Icon Bar available. Notice that you may also add new people to the conversation (Blue Plus Sign) and control file transfers (Green Arrow Symbol) from here as well.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a very nice, uncomplicated, and “lite on system resources” replacement for Windows Live Messenger, then Emesene is definitely worth taking a close look at.
Links
Download Emesene (version 1.0.2) – SourceForge
Emesene Homepage
Learn More About Emesene – Emesene Wiki
