Windows Live Messenger – formerly MSN Messenger – is set to shut down on March 15, 2013.  Microsoft is replacing it with Skype and migrating Windows Live IDs (now known as Microsoft accounts) to Skype.

Windows Live Messenger(以前称为MSN Messenger)将于2013年3月15日关闭。Microsoft将其替换为Skype，并将Windows Live ID(现在称为Microsoft帐户)迁移到Skype。

If you are a Windows Live Messenger user, times are changing.  You will need to use the Skype application for chatting – third-party instant messaging clients and old versions of Windows Live Messenger will no longer function.

如果您是Windows Live Messenger用户，那么时代将会改变。 您将需要使用Skype应用程序进行聊天–第三方即时消息客户端和Windows Live Messenger的旧版本将不再起作用。

再见Windows Live Messenger和第三方客户端 (Goodbye Windows Live Messenger and Third-Party Clients)

On March 15, you will no longer be able to sign into Messenger using the Windows Live Messenger desktop application.  If you attempt to sign in, you will be prompted to download Skype and uninstall Messenger from your computer.

3月15日，您将不再能够使用Windows Live Messenger桌面应用程序登录Messenger。 如果尝试登录，系统将提示您下载Skype并从计算机上卸载Messenger。

If you use another application to chat on Windows Live Messenger – such as Pidgin or Trillian – these applications will likely cease to function as well.  However, it will not be as simple as changing your client to use Skype instead of Windows Live Messenger.  The Skype plug-in for Pidgin only allows you to chat with your Skype buddies while Skype is already open and running in the background.  Trillian’s Skype support is a bit more integrated, but it still needs Skype installed and does not work at the moment because of changes to the Skype protocol.

如果您使用其他应用程序在Windows Live Messenger上聊天(例如Pidgin或Trillian)，这些应用程序也可能会停止运行。 但是，这不会像将客户端更改为使用Skype而不是Windows Live Messenger那样简单。 Skype插件的Skype插件仅允许您在Skype已打开并在后台运行时与您的Skype好友聊天。 Trillian的Skype支持更加集成，但是它仍然需要安装Skype， 并且由于对Skype协议的更改而暂时无法使用。

If you want to chat on Skype, your only real option at the moment is the official Skype client.  Luckily, Skype is available for Windows 8, the traditional Windows desktop, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, so there is no shortage of options.  However, some of the clients – such as Skype for Linux and Skype for Android – are not as polished and have been rather buggy, in our experience.

如果您想在Skype上聊天，那么您当前唯一的选择是Skype官方客户端 。 幸运的是，Skype可用于Windows 8，传统的Windows桌面，Mac OS X，Linux，iOS，Android和Windows Phone，因此没有很多选择。 但是，根据我们的经验，某些客户端(例如Linux的Skype和Android的Skype)不够完善，并且存在很多漏洞。

迁移到Skype (Migrating to Skype)

If you want to continue using your Windows Live Messenger account and chatting with your contacts, you will need to migrate your Messenger account to Skype.  This migration can go one of two ways, depending on whether you already have a Skype account you want to merge your account with or not.

如果要继续使用Windows Live Messenger帐户并与联系人聊天，则需要将Messenger帐户迁移到Skype。 这种迁移可以采用两种方式之一，具体取决于您是否已经拥有要与之合并的Skype帐户。

First, ensure you have the latest version of Skype installed.  You can download it from Skype’s website or use the Help > Check for Updates option within Skype.  If you are already signed into Skype, use the Skype > Sign Out option to sign out and go back to the login screen.

首先，请确保您安装了最新版本的Skype。 您可以从Skype网站下载它，也可以使用Skype中的 “帮助”>“检查更新”选项。 如果您已经登录了Skype，请使用Skype>注销选项注销并返回登录屏幕。

From the login screen, select the option to sign in with a Microsoft account.

在登录屏幕上，选择用于使用Microsoft帐户登录的选项。

Sign in with your Microsoft account (formerly known as your Windows Live ID: the same account you use to sign into Windows Live Messenger).

使用您的Microsoft帐户(以前称为Windows Live ID：用于登录Windows Live Messenger的同一帐户)登录。

You will see a screen asking you if you already have a Skype account.  If you do not, click the I’m new to Skype button and your Microsoft account will be linked with a new Skype account.  If you do, click the I have a Skype account option and you will be able to merge your Microsoft account with your existing Skype account.

您将看到一个屏幕，询问您是否已经有Skype帐户。 如果不这样做，请单击“ 我是Skype的新手”按钮，您的Microsoft帐户将与新的Skype帐户关联。 如果您这样做，请单击“我有一个Skype帐户”选项，您便可以将您的Microsoft帐户与现有的Skype帐户合并。

Whichever option you select, you will see your Windows Live Messenger contacts appear on your Skype Contacts list.  Assuming everyone switches over, you will be able to continue chatting with your contacts from within Skype.

无论选择哪个选项，您都将看到Windows Live Messenger联系人出现在Skype联系人列表中。 假设每个人都切换了，您将可以从Skype中继续与您的联系人聊天。

While Skype is mainly focused on audio and video chats, it can also be used for text chatting.  You can also make the Skype interface into a more minimal buddy list – just click the View menu and select Compact View.

尽管Skype主要专注于音频和视频聊天，但它也可以用于文本聊天。 您还可以使Skype界面成为更小的伙伴列表-只需单击“视图”菜单，然后选择“紧凑视图”。

Windows Live Messenger will not be shutting down completely in March.  It will still continue to function in mainland China.

Windows Live Messenger不会在三月份完全关闭。 它仍将继续在中国大陆运作。

翻译自: https://www.howtogeek.com/134458/microsoft-is-shutting-down-windows-live-messenger-what-this-means-for-you/