Is MS Messagener safe to use? Is there not potential for harm to result on my computer by using this? Or do I know have all the proper tools to stop unwanted stuff from getting on my computer - i.e.. Adware, spyware,virus protection etc etc.

Any advise you can give on this topic would be most appreciated. Thanks!

L

MSN is safe itself, but due to things that others will expose you to while using it, a good ad-ware and spy-ware program are highly recommended.

I use AdAware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/) and Spybot (http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022-10289035.html).

Is MS Messagener safe to use? Is there not potential for harm to result on my computer by using this? Or do I know have all the proper tools to stop unwanted stuff from getting on my computer - ie. Adware, spyware,virus protection etc etc.

Any advise you can give on this topic would be most appreciated. Thanks!

LHi lori, if you already installed all the other programs, i.e. spyware, malware, and you have your firewall active, etc as you stated in another post, then you've already the proper tools and it's safe to use MSN Messenger. You don't have to leave it on all the time, i.e. my brother from Las Vegas sends me a message, through Yahoo messenger, and then I open my MSN Messenger, and we chat away, as he does not have a Yahoo address, but still PMs me and we go for it. Have fun..

Is MS Messagener safe to use? Is there not potential for harm to result on my computer by using this? Or do I know have all the proper tools to stop unwanted stuff from getting on my computer - ie. Adware, spyware,virus protection etc etc.

Any advise you can give on this topic would be most appreciated. Thanks!

L

All the major IM services are reasonably safe. But you still should resricit correspondence to people you know. You can do this by setting up a buddy list and restricitng access to people on that list.

You might also want to look at Trillian. It's a universal IM client that allows you to coordinate all the major services in one interface. Since IMs are free it makes sense to setup accounts at the three majors (MSN, Yahoo and AIM). Trillian allows you to manage all of them.

The drawback of IM services is that they are not interactive, meaning you can't IM with someone on AIM using MSN. MSN and Yahoo recently announced that sometime next year they will have compatibility. Hopefully AIM will join in soon after.