How Microsoft killed the one cool product they ever had: MSN Messenger | Sidebean episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 12, 2026 · 15 MIN

How Microsoft killed the one cool product they ever had: MSN Messenger | Sidebean

from Sidebean · host Sidebean

How Microsoft killed the one cool product they ever had: MSN Messenger -Launch your next brand, project, or idea with a .US domain ► https://youtube.slidebean.com/USdomain -- We don't just make videos. Slidebean helps founders scale their startups: The Slidebean Platform ► https://yt.slidebean.com/cuz Join the Startup Club, a crunch of startup news for busy founders 🕶️ ► https://yt.slidebean.com/9hd -- MSN Messenger helped shape our adolescent years, from annoying nudges and animated emoticons to talking to your crush and expecting a reply. But if we look back, we can see that it was more than just teenagers chatting amongst themselves. It was part of a war between now-faded giants that were unknowingly laying the foundations of social networks. And now, it's completely gone. How did this happen? -- #startups #Slidebean #msn 0:00 - MSN Messenger - Intro 1:04 - MSN Messenger - Origins 3:02 - MSN Messenger - An addicting platform 4:20 - MSN Messenger - The curse of success 5:45 - MSN Messenger - Windows Live and a new identity 6:55 - MSN Messenger - Desperate efforts for an identity --- Recommended: How Microsoft ruined Skype - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzsuYrptwKk Read the video transcription + sources: https://slidebean.com/blog/startups-msn-messenger?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=ba-content -- Follow us Twitter aka X: http://twitter.com/slidebean LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/slidebean Instagram: http://instagram.com/slidebean Caya Twitter aka X: http://twitter.com/cayahere LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caya/ Turn on notifications for the podcast & rate it a 5-star for new episodes. Sidebean makes documentaries about startups, tech, and their impact on society. It is a venture-backed company that helps other startups navigate the complicated road to success. They love to cover stories around business, startups, and tech, trying both to teach and entertain. Subscribe to Sidebean on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@slidebean/ Disclaimer: This podcast is an independently produced audio adaptation of content originally shared by Sidebean. It was created by a fan who appreciates Sidebean’s thoughtful storytelling and wanted to make these ideas more accessible for audio-focused listeners. This is not an official production of Sidebean, nor is it affiliated with or endorsed by the channel. All rights to the original video content belong to Sidebean. If you are a representative of Sidebean and have any questions or requests, please feel free to reach out. - -------------------------- ----------- Keywords: startup journey, tech impact, tech analysis, startup podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How Microsoft killed the one cool product they ever had: MSN Messenger | Sidebean

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