Yahoo Messenger is a popular advertisement supported instant messaging client and associated protocol provided by Yahoo that allows you to see when friends come online and to send them instant messages It also can alert you to new e mail in your Yahoo Mail or Yahoo Personals accounts or when you have upcoming events recorded in your Yahoo Calendar Yahoo Messenger offers firewall support a standby mode that minimizes the program until an Internet connection is made the ability to save and print your conversations and a tabbed interface that provides quick access to your favorite stocks news and sports scores Yahoo also offers PC PC PC Phone and Phone to PC service file transfers webcam hosting text messaging service and chat rooms in various categories
Yahoo Messenger is provided free of charge and can be downloaded and used with a generic quot Yahoo ID quot which also allows access to other Yahoo services such as Yahoo Mail where users can be automatically notified when they receive new email
Other features include the ability to create a chat room automatically stock price alerts the ability to send messages to friends even if they 39 re not online when you are a Quick Compact mode that hides the Messenger tools to maximize your viewing area Messenger Themes and voice chat which allows you to talk for free to anybody else on the Internet It also includes Launchcast Radio Yahoo Games and Yahoo Audibles Using a Webcam you can see who you 39 re chatting with or view the Webcam of any Yahoo member who has granted you access
Yahoo has announced a partnership with Microsoft to join their instant messaging networks This would make Yahoo Messenger compatible with Microsoft 39 s NET Messenger Service It also made Microsoft 39 s Windows Live Messenger compatible with Yahoo 39 s Network This change has taken effect as of 2006 07 13 Yahoo Messenger has integrated instant messaging with Windows Live Messenger users and is fully functional
Yahoo Messenger was originally launched under the name Yahoo Pager on 1998 03 09