I recently upgraded to MSN Messenger version 6, only to find it still lacking in features that I find useful in other chat clients (like ICQ).

"Surely there must be an alternative," I thought to myself.

I decided to search Google for "MSN messenger replacement" and found a piece of software called dMSN, which was created by a fellow named Danny in the Netherlands.

In short, "dMSN is a JAVA-based Instant Messaging program for the MSN protocol. It's just like MSN Messenger, only with more functions." (http://www.dmsn.nl/)

From the jvdam.nl web site, I found 11 extraordinary features of dMSN:

• See when someone closes the chat conversation window.
   
• Be online with several MSN addresses at the same time.
   
• Login with your status on 'Invisible' or any other status you want.
   
• You don't have to worry about those Messenger worms and viruses: they wont work on dMSN.
   
• You can use the 'forbidden' words in your name.
   
• See when someone deletes you from their contact list.
   
• Send screen shots to your contacts.
   
• See when someone has blocked you.
   
• Nick scroller and special codes in your name.
   
• Use a real-time translator in your chat conversations.
   
• See smilies and multiple colors in your contact list.

dMSN: Setup

Installation of the program seemed to be a bit sluggish, but dMSN installed on my system without any hitch.

dMSN functioned much the same way MSN Messenger does, but with a few twists. One of the options that caught my eye was the fact that I would write in English and have the program convert to German, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian -- all "on the fly" (in real-time).

Neat-o.

dMSN: Compatibility

Since dMSN is written in Java, it works on more than one platform (operating system).

• Windows 9x, ME, NT, 2000, and XP: Windows 9X users will see that some functions don't fully work yet.
   
• Linux: Works great.
   
• Mac OS X: Requires a bit more work then a Windows or Linux install.
   
• Solaris - In progress.

dMSN: Download

dMSN is freeware (closed-source). You can download dMSN from the main web site, which is hosted in the Netherlands:

http://www.dmsn.nl/