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DevilAlumna
03-07-2007, 02:59 AM
If you use a MSFT-based messenger, and are willing to update to Windows Live Messenger 8.1 (the latest/greatest? version), keep reading.

Microsoft has launched a new charity campaign called "i'm", where they will donate money to a charity of your choice, for each IM you send.

For the official site, head here:
http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/Home/

For the inside/easier-to-understand scoop from a MSFT program manager on the Windows Live team: http://messengersays.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!5B410F7FD930829E!25315.entry

As a former 'softie, I can tell you that the company's commitment to giving back is huge -- it's nice to see that they're finding ways to get the general public involved as well.

BluBones
03-07-2007, 03:14 PM
Thanks for the heads up, though, um, I'm a bit worried about my productivity at work if sending an IM sends a charitable contribution. Though at least there's a chance I would still work: it's not as if someone is making a contribution every time I post here.

Windsor
03-07-2007, 03:20 PM
I'm a certified IM junkie - thanks for the heads up

Windsor

BlueDiablo
03-07-2007, 05:19 PM
This sounds a *lot* like those email urban legends (http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/nothing/microsoft-aol.asp) that circulated a few years back about how Microsoft/Disney was testing a new email tracking program and would give you money/a new computer/cure AIDS if you forwarded the email to everyone you know.

Edit: I don't mean I don't think it's legit--it does appear to be--but I wonder if people will be doubtful.

The Gordog
03-08-2007, 03:16 PM
That's the first thing that occurred to me. Pesonally, I don't believe it. It would have to be, like, $.0001 per.

DevilAlumna
03-08-2007, 03:31 PM
Trust me, I snopes (similar to "googling") just about everything like this that comes my way, but yes, it's for real.

If you read the link I posted above, from the Windows Messenger Team blog, you'll see that each charity will receive a minimum of $100,000. Personally, I think that's a donation/cause worth supporting simply by IM'ing, even if that were that were the maximum amount.

My 'i'm' tag will go to support the American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org) -- if this were really a hoax, I doubt that organization would go so far as to put an ad up on their front page too.

BluBones
03-08-2007, 04:18 PM
This sounds a *lot* like those email urban legends (http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/nothing/microsoft-aol.asp) that circulated a few years back about how Microsoft/Disney was testing a new email tracking program and would give you money/a new computer/cure AIDS if you forwarded the email to everyone you know.

Edit: I don't mean I don't think it's legit--it does appear to be--but I wonder if people will be doubtful.

This is why the mods locked this thread down when we first saw it. We didn't believe it either, and assumed it was spam. However, the links all go to MSFT domains. If you google "Microsoft messenger charity hoax" you get nothing. If you google "Microsoft messenger charity" you get a lot. It also makes sense: Microsoft is going to give the money away anyway, and they have a IM client that's in 3rd place. Why not use the charity money to give their IM client a boost?