Microsoft Replacing Messenger with Skype

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Dan

Only six months ago we wrote an article about Microsoft replacing Hotmail with Outlook.com; now Microsoft have announced Windows Live Messenger (previously MSN Messenger) is to be replaced by Skype, which Microsoft bought in 2011. Messenger is being replaced globally, with the exception of mainland China.

Currently, Messenger users can continue to use Messenger, upgrade to Skype or merge their Messenger account with their Skype account. After ~~15^th March 2013~~ [edit] 8^th April 2013 all Messenger users will have to upgrade to Skype in order to continue using the services, but don’t worry – the process is fairly simple and we will run through the options (with pictures) below.

Firstly you need to make sure you have Skype installed, available here. If you already have Skype installed, make sure you have the latest version by going to ‘Help’ then ‘Check for Updates’. Next, open Skype; if it automatically logs you in then log out (‘Skype’ then ‘Sign Out’). You should now see a login screen like the one below:

You need to select ‘Microsoft Account’ from the right hand side, which is the account you use for Messenger. After logging into your Microsoft Account you will be given two options.

If you do not already have a Skype account simply click the ‘I’m new to Skype’ button to convert your Messenger account into a Skype account. If you already have a Skype account then you have two options available to you. The option on the left, labelled ‘I have a Skype account’ will merge your existing Skype account with your existing Messenger account. The alternative is to convert your Messenger account into a separate Skype account by clicking the ‘I’m new to Skype’ button. Having separate accounts will mean you can choose which account to log into, but not both at the same time on a single computer or other device. This could be particularly important to some users as Skype lacks options for displaying different online statuses to different users or groups of users, despite being a popular feature request for many years. In fact, the only option available is to block contacts to whom you wish to appear offline.

After you have either merged or upgraded your Microsoft Messenger account you will be able to use Skype to communicate with all your contacts, regardless of whether they are still on Messenger or have upgraded to Skype.

Microsoft really appear to be rebranding everything they have to offer. The 2D panel design used on the new Windows 8 start menu (originally branded ‘Metro’) has gradually been applied across the board: computers, smartphones, tablets, games consoles, software, websites and even the Windows logo itself. On top of this Microsoft have been clearing out old offerings, with very well-known services, such as Hotmail and Messenger, being retired. For many, myself included, Hotmail and MSN Messenger were a staple part of early online social networking and it feels like an end of an era to see them go.

New Website Design – Harmless

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Dan

We have launched a new website for Harmless. Harmless are a user led organisation based in Nottingham that provides a range of services about self-harm including support, information, training and consultancy to people who self-harm, their friends and families and professionals. Harmless approached us looking for a complete revamp of their previous website that was five years old and no longer met all their requirements. The new website has been designed with three key areas: blog, shop and the core website. As well as designing the new website, Mamu Computing also designed a new logo for Harmless.

The principal part of the website starts with the home page, which prominently showcases the diversity within self-harm through a transition of large photos. The page also pulls together live data feeds from various sources including Twitter, Facebook and their Google Calendar, as well as the Harmless blog and online shop. Due to Twitter’s 140 character limit it was fairly straightforward to design how tweets would be displayed. However, the length of Facebook posts can vary greatly, so in order to maintain a consistent look Facebook posts were displayed in small, scrollable panels with custom designed scroll bars. The primary navigation for the website is situated along the top and divides the site into its major sections, each of which has its own sub-menu.

The events page (under ‘Who We Are’) displays a custom calendar that uses a Google Calendar data feed, allowing Harmless to easily update the upcoming events using their existing Google Calendar. The custom calendar shows all upcoming events in a ‘month view’ layout, with the ability to browse through future months. Clicking an event reveals additional details in a pop-up bubble, which includes time, description and location, as well as a link to Google Maps and the option to add the event to your own Google Calendar.

The new website provides various forms of media for download, including brochures, forms, videos and audio files as well as being able to watch, read and listen online. The website’s contact page includes a contact form (which was particularly important to Harmless as it allows people to get in touch without a record being saved in their sent items) as well as email, telephone, postal address and social network details, allowing users to get in touch by whatever means best suits them.

The new website’s blog allows Harmless to keep their users up-to-date with all the latest news from Harmless and self-harm related news. The blog also provides a forum for discussion, allowing people to become a member and comment on news articles. The blog is designed with the same style and layout as rest of the website so that it very much feels part of it. The header and footer match the main part of the site to provide a consistent navigation.

The layout of the shop part of the website differs slightly from the rest of the website, most notably in the header, footer and navigation bar. However, the style is consistent with the rest of the site, maintaining the same colour scheme, graphics and use of panels with rounded corners. The reason for the difference is that the shop serves a different purpose: it aims to promote and sell the products and services that Harmless offer. For that reason the home page of the shop features a highly animated promotional space and an area for promoted products. The shop provides a great deal of functionality for its users, including account management, downloads and a newsletter, as well as plenty of management tools for the Harmless staff, allowing them to manage products, stock levels and customer orders.

The new website better reflects the Harmless organisation, allows them to keep their users up-to-date and streamlines the process of selling their products and services, which all helps them work efficiently and reach the people that need them.