Mercury Messenger: Java-based MSN Messenger IM client
Mercury Messenger, previously known as MM or dMSN, is a free alternative to MSN Messenger offering almost all the same features. It is a Java-based IM client that allows you to connect to your Windows Live or Hotmail account and chat with your contacts. Despite being based on Java, Mercury Messenger is remarkably lightweight, easy to use, and allows you to do pretty much everything you can with the standalone client.
The interface of Mercury Messenger is similar to that of MSN Messenger, albeit a bit more basic. Some elements are placed a little clumsily here and there, making Mercury Messenger slightly unintuitive to use, but luckily, the interface is interchangeable, so you can use a different skin from the developer's website if you prefer.
One unique feature of Mercury Messenger is its RSS support. It allows you to add and preview RSS feeds, which is a bit unusual for an IM client. The result is a bit awkward, similar to feed reading on a mobile device. Mercury Messenger also has a tabbed interface, which allows you to open and work with multiple accounts, although having too many open can become confusing.
Although Mercury Messenger lacks some of the most recent features of MSN Messenger and has a weaker interface, it is still a good alternative with RSS and multiple account support.
