Windows Vista was (and still is) Microsoft’s product. Windows Live Messenger is Microsoft’s product. So when Windows Live Messenger 8.0 and 8.1 were released, I was wondering where the Vista integration was (it wasn’t even an option). And when Yahoo! Messenger was made available with Vista integration, I was just plain ol’ confused. Since when did Yahoo! impress me more than Microsoft? I think that would have to be the one and only time I even considered getting a Yahoo! account to use Yahoo! Messenger.

So when the newest beta version of Live Messenger (WLM 8.5) was released, I was finally relieved to see the Vista integration. It gathered my desktop under what I would call “Vista-Unity”, and I never looked back. Of course, the beta had a few problems (none too obvious), so I could hardly wait till the kinks were worked out.

And today, I finally got what I was waiting for; an auto-update saying that there was a new version of Windows Live Messenger. And yes, WLM 8.5 is finally officially released! I’m pleased to say that it’s interface didn’t change a single bit, and it looks exactly identical to its beta version (albeit the title has changed).

Well, at least, that’s what I initially thought. Turns out after a bit of searching around that Windows Live Messenger 8.5 is still in a beta state – it’s just that “beta” was removed from its title, and it’s actually a second beta. What a disappointment.

Kidding! I don’t mind having a beta version of a product that brings “Vista-Unity” to my computer. And so, the wait for WLM 8.5 Final continues…