SourceWithin "the next couple of weeks," Microsoft will discontinue support for Facebook Chat and Google Chat in Outlook.com.
Microsoft notified Outlook.com customers of the pending change via an e-mail message from the Outlook.com team sent on February 24 (Thanks @lindhartsen)Microsoft attributed the decision to drop Google Chat integration to Google's decision to discontinue the chat protocol used by the Google Talk platform.
Well, google announced they were going to be dropping XMPP almost 2 years ago, but it's been a slow process... for instance, I Hangouts still supported it for a very long time. However, about a year ago Google Voice dropped support. I guess it's about time others started to drop it as well, given that google won't support it either.
Skype is not free. Is Microsoft becoming more greedy? I just hope they don't start charging for outlook.com web based email service. I use outlook as my main email.
Where did Skype come into anything? And yes, Skype is free, at least for messaging... it's not free to make actual calls in the phone system, but that's the only thing that costs money. Regardless, Skype has nothing to do with the subject.
These kinds of games remind me why I'm leery of the 'Cloud'. Corporations simply drop functionality, either for competitive reasons, cost, or simple lack of attention span, or whatever. Google is famous for this. So you get a nice workflow going based on some web services, and poof! they're gone one fine day. My ISP outsourced its email service to gmail through Google Partners. So do many colleges and universities. Then, last summer, Google announced they were pulling the plug. Poof! a big scramble to find an alternative.
Another consideration is that services that were once free become paid. Hard to predict how that will go for any particular service.
Another consideration is that they have all your stuff, and can paw through it at will. And they do - that's why it's free!
From here. SourceWhere did Skype come into anything? And yes, Skype is free, at least for messaging... it's not free to make actual calls in the phone system, but that's the only thing that costs money. Regardless, Skype has nothing to do with the subject.Summary: Microsoft is discontinuing Facebook and Google Chat integration in Outlook.com, and is advising users to use Skype instead..
I didn't realize the chat was free. When I signed up for Skype, all they wanted was money to use it.
Voice and video calls to other Skype users are also free. It is only when you call a real phone number (not on Skype) you have to pay (or forward calls to your mobile or whatever).I didn't realize the chat was free. When I signed up for Skype, all they wanted was money to use it.
Not sure why it would matter
If someone was a facebooker you have the silly thing as an app on your desktop or start screen/ cell phone... :/
