I've given up using Yahoo! Messenger

[n3td3v]

Yahoo! Messenger is now no longer my default instant messenger. This is due to the lack of security related updates to the application. Also, I don't agree with the direction Yahoo! are taking the Yahoo! Messenger project. They seem to be chucking all sorts of time and energy into providing unneeded features, designed to attract the teenage market. Remember, its supposed to be an application for sending instant messages, its not ment to be a bloated spaceship, as its recently come, with the release last summer with Yahoo! Messenger 6. I no longer use Yahoo! Messenger as my default instant messenger. Thanks, n3td3v.

[Gandalf]

Thanks for sharing.

In all seriousness, I doubt Yahoo! will be concerned that you're not going to use Y! Messenger any more. You're just one of millions and millions of users. As for features, they're just playing the game along with AIM and MSN.

I think these days if you want a functional, streamlined instant messenger you need to look beyond the Big Three and consider an alternative messenger.

[MartinBradley]

Lack of security related updates? They only release security updates when a patchable flaw is found, you know.

Personally, I like all the new features in Yahoo Messenger. The addition of Games and Launch mean that I don't have to go to their respective websites in order to be able to play and listen. And one big, rather potent issue at the moment, is the one of reliability. I have never had a problem with Yahoo Messenger like I have had with MSN Messenger recently.

I believe that Yahoo made huge advances with The All New Yahoo Messenger, a vast improvement on the old Yahoo Messenger.

Still, it's all down to personal preference.

Having read the other posts here, I agree with detn8r about the possibility of a 'lite' Messenger. It would be something without the features that you don't necessarily need, and having said what I have said above, I do concede that there are also many features of Yahoo Messenger which I never, and doubt I ever will, use.

[detn8r]

n3td3v, good on you.

The big IM companies are in an arms race for the most features for the biggest group of people. Believe it or not, but most of the features in Messenger are features people requested! MSN Messenger developers hold MS-moderated chats once in awhile to see how their public likes the features, and allow possible feature requests in.
I know security is never on anyone's list, because no one seems to care about it, but as far as I'm concerned, it should be.

As far as I know, the MSN Messenger outages care caused by a virus going around on Messenger, so I wonder why people DON’T have security on the top of their lists!

Anyway, someone mentioned somewhere along the lines you did, with features that are useless to them. They suggested a 'lite' version of Messenger, where it would be just a simple user to user chat, and possibly file transfer, voice and web cam features. I highly believe IM companies should be looking into this as well, or allow users to opt out services upon install.

Now out of curiosity, which client have you gone with?

[n3td3v]

[detn8r]
What messenger have a I switched to? None right now. E-mail is something I have more interest in. I'm interested in e-mail security, plus its more secure. If I use encryption keys on my e-mail messages, I can be sure no one is capturing my mail. I'll switch to a business messenger once I obtain a copy of one. I'm waiting for http://www.blowsearch.com to release a messenger with encryption, so i'll probably pick up a copy of that once its available to the general public.

[gandalf]
I've not done this to bother Yahoo!---I've done it for my own benifit. I'm happy for Yahoo! with continued success of its IM client.

[martinbradley]
Not critical security updates, smaller updates to make the client more secure, especially from social abuse, spam, phishing. Yahoo! Mail takes social abuse, spam phishing seriously--- Yahoo! Messenger team don't, as they don't see Yahoo! Messenger as important as e-mail, as I think they should be.

Yahoo! already have a lite messenger, its called Web Messenger, and Yahoo! see that as the lite version.

[Oreo]

I've been mostly happy with messenger. I get bored with things that just do chats, I enjoy something that allows me to have radio and whatnot when I am surfing the net. It does not make my PC any slower, it does not do much of anything but make my life easier. As far as security problems...I used to get booted...then I learned how to avoid it. BEFORE anyone starts to say there's more than booting...yeah...but I don't have anything to hide. I liked Yahoo! back when it was Yahoo! Pager, I like it now...I'm not going to change any time soon.

[n3td3v]

[oreo]
I'm boycotting all of Yahoo!--- I just mentioned Yahoo! Messenger because this is a messenger site, but yeah. I wish Yahoo! Inc all the best for security in the future. :-)

[Netti]

I guess my question is, if you're so worried about security and invasions, and instant messaging, then why be on the net at all??? Do you think your email is safe?? It's NOT, do you think web browsing is safe??? It's NOT. If you are a smart user of Instant messenging, and email, and browsing, and the internet as a whole, then you won't have any problems.

Also, if you dont' like the look, feel, etc. of the new messenger 6.0, why didn't you go back to the old version you liked? If I told you what eversion I was running, You'd die. But there is a reason for it.

Guess I'm just curious as to why you'd even bother at all.