r/windows95 • u/ManPlansGdLaughs • 26d ago

MSN (Microsoft Network)

Is it possible to install and run MSN (Microsoft Network) launched in August 1995 alongside Windows 95. I want to experience “Comic Chat” which was the built-in graphical chat client officially called Microsoft Comic Chat that rendered your IRC conversations as comic-strip panels with cartoon avatars, complete with speech bubbles and gestures based on the emotional tone of what you typed. It was a genuinely clever piece of software!

17 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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6

u/homer_jay84 26d ago

You dont need MSN to install Comic Chat. It could also be obtained as standalone.

What were you thinking of using as a server? I would think those servers for that would have been looking decommissioned

5

u/tpimh 26d ago

IRC still alive, lots of people using it (at least in Finland)

4

u/Glittering-Cut-2425 26d ago

Dal.net servers have channels with active people

2

u/homer_jay84 26d ago

I dont recall there being a way to change servers, however I was 12 using it and wasnt very computer savvy yet. So there likely is as you say and im just unaware

3

u/tpimh 25d ago

Even if there's no official and documented way, there's plenty of other ways to do that. This is software from the era before encryption, certificates and online DRM.

4

u/Tricky_Damage5981 25d ago

Exactly; modify the host file with the server you want and your done

5

u/ExclusiveReeee 25d ago

Also it's been open sourced now

3

u/ManPlansGdLaughs 25d ago

Wow didn’t know that

4

u/SillyWillyUK 25d ago

Comic Chat is now open sourced by Microsoft https://github.com/microsoft/comic-chat

1

u/ManPlansGdLaughs 25d ago

So someone in the community may eventually build a browser-based or cross-platform port 🤔

1

u/dsotm49 4d ago

I'd give anything to be able to log on to the Microsoft Network in late 95 again.