Yahoo! Messenger 8 Released

[UnSaKreD]

Yahoo Messenger, with 60 million worldwide users, just got a lot more interesting. Today at 6pm PST Yahoo is launching Yahoo Messenger 8.0 for Windows PCs and releasing a software development kit to allow third parties to create content plugins that users can add to their Yahoo IM. Plugins can be built using javascript, flash, or both.

http://messenger.yahoo.com

[Jeff]

The plug-ins can be developed in javascript, Flash, or both. There are two kinds of plug-ins: conversation plug-ins that can be used in a conversation window and personal plug-ins that plug directly into the IM client, allowing you to add content to your contact list.

You can download the SDK at http://developer.yahoo.com/messenger and browse available plug-ins at http://gallery.yahoo.com/messenger

[Jeff]

The Motley Fool has some interesting analysis of the new plug-in API for Yahoo! Messenger 8 and what it means to investors.

The bottom line? Yahoo remains a formidable force and someone to be reckoned with.

[Oreo]

Hmmmm I wonder if this means it will be compatible with MSN now :D

[Root]

Re: Oreo (MSN/WLM Compatibility)
> Hmmmm I wonder if this means it will be compatible with MSN now :D

In Yahoo! Messenger 8 the Add a Contact window now displays a drop-down menu to select the Network.

The options for Network currently show the following:
Microsoft LCS (Live Communications Server)
Yahoo! Messenger

I have yet to upgrade from MSN Messenger to Windows Live Messenger, but plan to do so this weekend upon a new release of Messenger:Mate for WLM. I would venture to say that once both end-user parties have the new versions of these IM clients (WLM v8 and Y!M v8) that they will then be able to communicate with each other. :)