Integrate MSN Messenger into Project Server

Microsoft Windows Messenger Integration Custom Project Guide is a set of tools that will add in the capability on Project Server to see people's IM status on MSN. If implemented and used correctly it can be very effective for dispersed teams, as just viewing the Project website will show at a glance which team members are at their desk (and available for a quick conversation) and which ones are away.

This is a trend in a few MS products, including Sharepoint Portal Server, and Live Communication Server gives you the means through an API to add the presence capability to other applications. It's definitely a trend that wil continue and eventually become a given.

Adding such presence features to other projects actually isn't that tough. Yahoo especially makes it very easy: a simple URL is all that's required to see if anyone is online or not. Just replace my screenname with anyone else's and add dynamically into any web app:
-
<img src=&quot;http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=dlbham">

It's also easily possible with AIM, except you must specify your own Online and Offline images:

<img src="http://big.oscar.aol.com/Your_Aim_Name?on_url=Location_Of_Your_Online_Image&off_url=Location_Of_Your_Offline_Image" border = 0 >

Unfortunately I have never come across an MSN version of these that can be as easily integrated into a webpage. There are several webpages that allow you to check if someone is online, but they all contact MSN on the IM protocol level to "finger" the status of an address.