What was your involvement with MSN Messenger?
I was the lead Technical Writer for three major releases: 7.0, 7.5, and 8.0 (also called Windows Live Messenger Beta).
MSN Messenger is literally the worlds most popular instant message service, with over 175 million users worldwide. It is also the single biggest draw for new users to the MSN network.
MSN Messenger lets you chat with your buddies via typed messages, audio, video, or a combination of the above. You can also play video games with your contacts, share files, and send hand-drawn messages.
My duties also included UI text reviews for the 7.5 and 8.0 releases.
Bonus: See a two minute E News special on how Messenger has connected Nicole Richie to her fans.
How did you develop the Help?
This was my second assignment developing Help with XML, using XMetal 4.0. Since beginning on this team, I have created over fifty new topics, and revised over a hundred. Localization was a key factor in the development process, as Messenger is translated into 25 different languages world wide. Special attention was paid to efficiency in communication and clarity, as some languages require 1/3 more characters to communicate the same idea. Consequently, verbiage had to be concise, without oversimplifying or sounding harsh. I have also had the pleasure of working with some of the best technical editors in the business. Together, we crafted a Help system that meets the bulk of our users needs.
