MSN shutting down question -- Existing implementations that use MSP will continue to work until March 2014

Question

Copied from this announcement

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/live/ff519582.aspx

We recently announced that we’ll begin to encourage Messenger users to start using Skype. As a result, the Messenger developer program will end. Existing implementations that use Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) will continue to work until October 2013. Existing implementations that use MSP will continue to work until March 2014.

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I've never heard of MSP before? Is this referring to MSNP? The original protocol for Messenger? The protocol documented by sites like Hypothetic MSN guide?

It's a shame for me that MSN is being shutting down because I've been working on a client for Messenger using the new async/await stuff in .net 4.5.

If I knew the messenger service would still be available for another year that would certainly make me happy because I'd like to finish what I started without the pressure of a 2 month deadline.

Somebody in the know, please elaborate.

Thanks

Answer 1

MSNP in general is not supported by Microsoft for non-Microsoft applications:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/messengerconnect/thread/dddefa38-dc5b-4138-8218-0cb52ca1f2c1

Answer 2

That's a really unhelpful answer.

Do you know how many third party applications connect to the Msn Messenger/live messenger network using MSNP? The answer is A LOT.

I don't expect Microsoft to support third party usage of their servers, but they've certainly not done anything to stop people from using it over the years.

I just want clarification on whether MSP is referring to what most of us know as MSNP.

I expect I will not receive an answer on a Microsoft forum, I held very little hope to begin with.