Short-Media MSN Messenger Tab

SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
edited April 2006 in Community
I recently downloaded, just out of curiosity, the official Messenger Plus! community tab plugin, for MSN Messenger. The feature has the ability to keep its user up to date with information about the software, and more relevantly, a direct display of the Messenger Plus! forum hot threads. Essentially creating a constantly on-line window to view their forums latest threads.

I'm no coder, so I haven't the foggiest idea how complicated it would be to create, but it got me thinking that having a Short-Media TAB for MSN Messenger, would be a very attractive feature for the site.

What are the coders thoughts on this? It just struck me as a really good idea. Something which the members can install to add that extra dimension to their Short-Media experience.

Just an idea.
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Comments

  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited July 2003
    Here's a screen shot.
  • EMTEMT Seattle, WA Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    A standalone client would be better - harder in some ways and probably easier in others, for making, but more accessible for those of us who don't use MSN. Would definitely be cool though.
  • CaffeineMeCaffeineMe Cedar Rapids, IA
    edited July 2003
    I use MSN. Call me when this is ready! :)
  • karatekidkaratekid Ogdensburg, NY
    edited July 2003
    Don't quote me, but that just looks like a news reader/feed. The old Icrontic had feeds. I have no idea what is involved in making the feed, but when a site sets one up you just put some information into a program that supports news feeds and then you have a display like the MSN screenshot. Trillian supports news feeds with a plugin, it maybe possible that MSN messenger, or just the plus version, supports news feeds as well.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    The newsfeeds should already work :)

    Let me check and come back to you guys. That's an idea!
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2003
    Yeah, I'd be interested. Might save me a few mouse-clicks, too.

    :thumbsup:


    Prof
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    This is what I have found out ;)

    The Short-Media newsfeeds work ;) for those who want standard RSS feeds for hot threads and news forum :)

    Adding an MSN tab is easy.. but has to have be a XML parsed page and some other bits and bobs for it first.

    The MSN tabs act like an advanced iframe and don't actually parse XML at all.

    Im gonna have a mess about with it and see if I can come up with something :)
  • hoojhooj Bournemouth, UK
    edited July 2003
    over at neowin.net they have there own tab. It works a treat and is a nice little addition to messenger
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    I think Ive almost figured it out :)

    It will have to be manually installed at the moment... but Il work on the installer ;)

    Check back later :)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Ignore the thread titles ;) this our dev server.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited July 2003
    Wicked stuff. Nice work Shorty.
  • WuGgaRoOWuGgaRoO Not in the shower Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    this is sum killer stuff we have here...i supose i gotta dl msnplus now
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Im gonna do some final testing for stability and so on, then Il release instructions on how to include it and have it working. End of today or tomorrow daytime eta :)

    Im gonna try and do an installer but depends on time (it only requires one edit in a config file anyway, for it to work in MSN messenger) ;)
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2003
    Will this plug-in work in Trillian, like karatekid mentioned?


    Prof

    (See - it's not even officially out yet, and I'm asking for more:p )
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    This is purely for MSN messenger 6. BUT...

    Our standard RSS newsfeeds will work in Trillian :)

    Il do instructions and so on for those at the same time.

    Which version you got Prof?? Standard or Pro?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2003
    Shorty said
    Which version you got Prof?? Standard or Pro?

    Standard.

    Thanks Much!:thumbsup:


    Prof
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Spinner...

    As far as I know, MSN users don't have to have PLUS installed, for the tabs to be active (Im not sure as I always have had plus installed).

    Any ideas?? ;)
  • hoojhooj Bournemouth, UK
    edited July 2003
    no I dont believe you do. All you need to do is add the xml to the config file to add the tab.

    Will it also feature the news aswell as the hot threads?
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    hooj said
    no I dont believe you do. All you need to do is add the xml to the config file to add the tab.

    Will it also feature the news aswell as the hot threads?

    Thats the only configuration. The rest is done server-side, which is working well from what I can tell (no crashes or problems so far).

    This is basic for the moment. When I have more time, il do a more posh one, that seperates news from hot threads :)
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited July 2003
    Shorty said
    Spinner...

    As far as I know, MSN users don't have to have PLUS installed, for the tabs to be active (Im not sure as I always have had plus installed).

    Any ideas?? ;)

    Yeah, like folk have now said, you don't need Messenger Plus! So that won't be something people have to install to use the TABS. However all MSN Messenger users should really have Plus installed. It's a great piece of kit to have.:vimp:;)

    Once again though, nice work Shorty, we all appreciate your efforts.:)
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited July 2003
    Grrr looks like I will have to go get MSN6. I have been running on 4.7 forever. Never did upgrade to 5. Had it but then couldnt right click on the pop ups to make them disapprear and it was quickly off my system.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Quick Update to prove I haven't forgotten ;D

    Trillian/RSS newsfeeds & MSN6 tab should be ready for later :)

    Just gotta pass it to prime for server checking (can't be too careful) and Il post up the instructions :)

    I have to go to to my job first, so 8/9 hours time ;)
  • NecropolisNecropolis Hawarden, Wales Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Shorty said
    Quick Update to prove I haven't forgotten ;D

    Trillian/RSS newsfeeds & MSN6 tab should be ready for later :)

    Just gotta pass it to prime for server checking (can't be too careful) and Il post up the instructions :)

    I have to go to to my job first, so 8/9 hours time ;)

    Any updates mate?
  • FormFactorFormFactor At the core of forgotten
    edited July 2003
    vrery very cool!!!!
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Ive finished up the basic tab :)

    Once Im home in a few hours, will do a thread with instructions then :)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    One more little thing to check.. and then you can have them :)

    Sorry for the delay but these things have to right!
  • Red-DawnRed-Dawn Been kidnapped and being held hostage in Edinburgh
    edited July 2003
    What you have worked up is that just for messenger or does it work in trillian standard edition as well???
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    RSS feeds are already ready (they are in use on the frontpage hookup) ... but building some code to display the MSN way is a bit more difficult.

    I have basically got it sussed, Im just checking it doesn't do something cranky to the server or send the load skyhigh = server slowdown.

    :)
  • SpinnerSpinner
    waits patiently;)
     Birmingham, UK
    edited July 2003
    waits patiently;)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Here ya go!!

    :D Version 1 is ready!
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