Microsoft has announced public access to the Windows Live Messenger network via the open-standard XMPP protocol.

“This means that anyone can build innovative messaging clients–either stand-alone or built into their devices–that include access to Messenger’s 300 million active users” writes Dare Obasanjo on the Windows Team blog.

With the move most modern XMPP-based chat clients, such as Empathy, Pidgin and Kopete, will be able to connect to Windows Live Messenger without having to use ‘pass throughs’ to the .NET Messenger Service.

The result for end users will be a more reliable and integrated connection in a wider range of instant messaging clients across different platforms.

Developers keen to learn more can head over to the Windows Team blog. Code samples can be found on GitHub.

Thanks to OrangeTux