i have a macbook. I had a downloaded application on the toolbar + dragged it off onto the desktop - its lost !

Check your Applications folder. It's generally in the sidebar in Finder but if you've removed it then just go to Users > You > Applications. Every installer will put any new apps installed in the Applications folder by default. If it's not in there then you must have deleted it somehow, or put it in some obscure location on your laptop.

If you can't find it, just download it again from Apple's website (http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/email_chat/m... ), or use Adium (http://www.adiumx.com/ ). I personally prefer Adium because you can use all of your IM accounts in one application (AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Skype, etc.). It's kind of ugly at first compared to iChat but you can get plugins from the website to change pretty much anything you want.

Also, a side note. The bar at the bottom is called the Dock.

Ok, first, the toolbar you mention is known as the Dock. The icons on it are the equivalent of shortcuts in Windows, so, by removing the icon, you only deleted the shortcut. The application is still on your computer. Here are the two most likely places you will find it:

1.) If you "installed" the application, then the file to run it is probably in your Applications folder. Open up finder, and on the left bar there should be a link entitled "Applications" under the "Places" heading. Click it, and browse the list that appears in your finder window for the MSN program. If you find it, you can simply drag it back over the dock, and drop it to recreate the shortcut.

2.) If you remember downloading the program, but never altering it after that, then it may still be in your downloads folder. Open a new finder window. Under the "Places" heading, click the link that matches your user name (which usually rests just below the one for the Desktop). From here, there should be a list of folders. About three down, should be one titled "Downloads". Open this folder, and browse the files inside for an MSN program. Drag and release it over the dock, once found (as mentioned above) to make a shortcut.

If the program is in neither of these places, you can always resort to searching your hard drive. This is simple: just click the little magnifying glass icon on the extreme upper right of your screen, on the gray bar. This is "Spotlight". Enter the name (or a keyword) related to the program you want, and it will immediately bring up a list of all files related to the terms entered.

Hope this helps!

The application is called Microsoft Messenger not MSN Messenger. Search for that in the applications folder. If you can't find it go here and redownload: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx?pid=Ma...