MSN started as the Microsoft Network: Microsoft's own door onto the internet in the 1990s — news, email, a way to get online, like an ISP (a company that connects you to the internet). The same three letters then became the name people used for MSN Messenger, the chat program that came with it.

MSN started as the Microsoft NetworkMSN一開始是Microsoft Network（微軟網路） : Microsoft's own door onto the internet in the 1990s：微軟自己在1990年代通往網路的一道門 — news, email, a way to get online——提供新聞、電子郵件、上網的方式 , like an ISP，就像一個ISP (a company that connects you to the internet)（幫你連上網路的業者）。 The same three letters同樣這三個字母 then became the name people used for MSN Messenger後來變成人們用來稱呼MSN Messenger的名字 , the chat program that came with it，也就是隨附的那個聊天程式。

Though actually, in real talk — especially among people who were young in the 2000s — 'MSN' almost never means 'the internet company'. It means the little window where you sent messages and waited for a friend to come online. In Taiwan that was huge: people said they were 'on MSN' the way later people say they are on LINE.

Though actually不過其實 , in real talk，在實際講話裡 — especially among people who were young in the 2000s ———尤其是2000年代還年輕的那群人 , 'MSN' almost never means 'the internet company'，「MSN」幾乎從來不是指「那間網路公司」。 It means the little window它指的是那個小視窗 where you sent messages and waited for a friend to come online你在那裡傳訊息、等朋友上線。 In Taiwan that was huge在台灣這個東西紅到不行 : people said they were 'on MSN'：大家會說自己「on MSN（在MSN上）」 the way later people say they are on LINE就像後來的人會說自己在LINE上一樣。

Microsoft later moved the chat tool to Windows Live Messenger, then Skype, and the old MSN page became more of a news site. Young students may never have used it; their older brothers and sisters probably lived on it.

Microsoft later moved the chat tool to Windows Live Messenger微軟後來把聊天工具搬去Windows Live Messenger then Skype接著又搬到Skype , and the old MSN page became more of a news site，舊的MSN網頁則變得比較像新聞網站。 Young students may never have used it現在的年輕學生可能根本沒用過它 ; their older brothers and sisters probably lived on it；他們的哥哥姊姊大概天天離不開它。

So if a text says 'an ISP called MSN', that is the company sense. If someone says 'add me on MSN', that is the messenger.

So if a text says 'an ISP called MSN'所以如果文章裡說「an ISP called MSN（一個叫MSN的網路業者）」 , that is the company sense，那指的是公司的意思。 If someone says 'add me on MSN'如果有人說「add me on MSN（在MSN上加我）」 , that is the messenger，那指的是即時通那個意思。