Q: Can I login with any email address for the Windows Live Messenger Status icon generator?
A: Yes, as long it is the email address that you use to login to Windows Live Messenger.
Q: My Windows Live Messenger status icon is showing this weird image instead of my status: 
A: This server couldn't connect to the Windows Live API server. This server waits 10 seconds before giving up trying to get the status, so it's not a big deal - just try refreshing or trying again later. It shouldn't happen often, but when it does I can't do anything about it.
Q: My Xfire status icon is showing this weird image instead of my status: 
A: This server couldn't connect to the Xfire profile server. This server waits 10 seconds before giving up trying to get the status, so again it's not a big deal - just try refreshing or trying again later. As before it shouldn't happen often, but when it does I can't do anything about it.
Q: There's a weird light blue background behind my status icon. Is that intentional?
A: No, not at all. The reason you're seeing that is because you're using a browser prior to Internet Explorer 7, meaning that it renders transparent PNG's with that weird background. If you can, I would suggest upgrading to Internet Explorer 7, or getting a really cool web browser such as Safari or Firefox.
Q: Can I use my Xfire/Windows Live Messenger status image from your site anywhere? Do I have bandwidth limits?
A: Yes you can, and no you don't. It's my job to worry about bandwidth, so put the image where you wish. (Well, within reason.)
Q: Do I need to link back to your website in order to use the icon?
A: No you don't have to, but I would be really grateful if you did.
Q: Why does the Windows Live Messenger/Xfire status image generator say I'm offline, when I'm not?
A: First check if you're appearing offline. If you are, that's the problem. If you aren't appearing offline, then you've probably either spelt your xfire username wrong in the xfire URL or copied your windows live messenger icon URL wrong. There really is no other reason for it to be doing it, unless the Windows Live API servers or the Xfire profile servers are being wierd.
Q: How does the Windows Live Messenger Status Image Generator work?
A: This site requests your ID from the Windows Live Messenger API servers, gets it, puts it into a URL that shows information about your windows live messenger status, parses that with php, then presents an image according to your status. The URL for your image ends up as "http://icon.alanedwardes.com/[SIZE]/[ID]".
[SIZE] can either be "wlm" on its own for a small image, "wlmb" for a large image, or "wlmtxt" for a small image with text. The final URL for an example big image would be: http://icon.alanedwardes.com/wlmb/2ef500a9235b4b06.
Note for those familiar with the API: the ID section of the URL is just the string of numbers without the "@apps.messenger.live.com" behind it, so "2ef500a9235b4b06@apps.messenger.live.com" becomes "2ef500a9235b4b06".
Q: How does the Xfire Status Image Generator work?
A: This site visits your Xfire profile page (which has your xfire status on), finds out whether you're on or offline, then presents either an online or offline image. The URL for your image ends up http://icon.alanedwardes.com/[SIZE]/[USERNAME].
[SIZE] can either be "xfire" on its own for a small image, or "xfireb" for a large image. The final URL for an example big image would be: http://icon.alanedwardes.com/xfireb/alanedwardes.