Alternative to Yahoo Messsenger?

19 posts / 0 new

Wed, 07/15/2015 - 14:23

carnatic

So, for a long time the most popular instant-messaging service used among inflation fans has been Yahoo Messenger. It kind of arrived at its status by default as most of the members who have been around for a while have YIM accounts, and newer members tend to create accounts on YIM since it was the most used service by those they wanted to RP with, and so the cycle continues. I know quite a few do have accounts on other services, or don't do instant messaging at all, but YIM is still far and away the most popular among those who do want to use instant messaging.

However YIM does seem to be steadily going downhill, and is far from the most popular IM at large these days. They no longer keep their apps on the various smartphones updated, so those have largely stopped working. There are multi-platform clients, but aside from Trillian I've yet to find one that is any good (IM+ sucks big time). Also, with the way things are going, I wonder if we could soon see the end of YIM. We should really find an alternative or we could find ourselves unable to contact each other.

I'm not suggesting having an official inflation chat service, (nobody ever said 'right we're all going to use YIM') just that if enough of us have the same idea about which service to use, others will start to follow and we can have a new, default.

The following essential features come to mind.

- don't require the creation of a full account on social media (so Facebook is out)

- ideally can be used on multi-platform clients like Trillian (so Facebook again and Google Talk are out)

- isn't restricted to mobile-only apps (so Kik and Whatsapp are out)

- can save chat history, very important I think to most of us who RP.

- has some sense of a long-term future, so is well established and reasonably popular (so Yahoo, and probably AIM and ICQ are out, as are any number of 'next-big-thing' chat services.)

Personally I think this leaves the front-runner as Skype. No longer just a video client, though its popularity for video chat gives it a long term future I think... I can't see Microsoft discontinuing it any time soon. You can use it with Trillian, save chat history and it just requires the creation of a simple account.

Thoughts.

Wed, 07/15/2015 - 16:04

BodyPOPindustries

I personally don't have Skype, but have heard good things. YIM sucks, plain and simple. I vote "yay" for this motion.

Open for business...

Wed, 07/15/2015 - 21:45

perchedontheloon

I use kik and have been very pleased since I don't chat while on my desktops (those are work only).

Wed, 07/15/2015 - 23:48

Lopni

I think we can leave things be because Yahoo Messenger accounts will eventually join Skype - simply because YIM merged with MSN in 2006, and MSN merged with Skype in 2013.

Skype isn't leaving business anytime soon because it has an international crowd of passionate geeks who keep writing it in their spare time. The only way it can close is if those geeks lose interest - nobody else can tell them to stop.

By any means I don't mean to throw stones in others garden: some big corporation developing a messenger as a little piece of their business is just as good in the short run.

Thu, 07/16/2015 - 04:07

(Reply to #4) #5

doubleintegral

Pretty sure YIM never merged with MSN. I think you're thinking of when MSN *Groups* got absorbed by Yahoo Groups (with the exception of adult-related groups).

some big corporation developing a messenger as a little piece of their business is just as good in the short run

So, like Microsoft and Skype?

Also, just my opinion, but if Yahoo IM ever goes under then that really means Yahoo is circling the drain. Messenger is one of the best things they have left to cling to.

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Thu, 07/16/2015 - 03:10

Million22

I think that skype could be the best to use instead of YIM because Skype (even if it use LOTS of connexion) have the advantage to be simple-use and that's something you don't always see

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Thu, 07/16/2015 - 06:28

Another Canadian Guy

Personally I use Skype with a few members on here and google hangouts for others. They work fairly well and are backed by pretty reputable people.

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Thu, 07/16/2015 - 07:04

carnatic

Well I'm going to get a Skype account now. At the moment, I expect I will have no use for it since I think only one person I speak to on YIM uses Skype. However my thinking is, if you're reading this and thinknig 'yeah Skype sounds like a better idea' then get a Skype account. At some point a critical mass will be reached (so to speak) where enough people have Skype accounts that it just seems like a good IM service to use for anyone wanting to chat or RP.

With regards YIM, my issue with it at the moment is that I get the impression Yahoo just don't seem to both maintaining it any more, connections to it are becoming increasingly erratic and they seem to have given up on it already to an extent. For example the iOS app is no longer functional and it doesn't seem like they're ever going to do anything to fix it. I don't know about Android as I have no Android device but can testify a similar thing happened on Blackberry and Yahoo seem to have no intention of producing an app for Windows Phone at all, so maybe Yahoo are circling the drain.

The main issue I see with Skype is that to many people, Skype means 'video chat' and obviously many people in the community don't wish to video chat. You can use Skype as an IM without turning on video, just as you can video chat on YIM, but I think the perception might put people off, that Skype is somehow less anonymous than other services.

Thu, 07/16/2015 - 07:23

carnatic

OK... I'm on Skype as carnatic.hall

Thu, 07/16/2015 - 08:00

#10

Fairia

I too use Skype, and for some time, as reimeioh1. I do hope to use it only for RP/kink stuff and friends cause I doubt you can have two different accounts in use at the same time for chatting.

Thu, 07/16/2015 - 11:09

(Reply to #10) #11

carnatic

Oh that's something I haven't looked at, though I'm not sure if you can with Yahoo either just using Yahoo's own chat client. You can sign into multiple YIM accounts using Trillian.

On another note, Skype is no longer supported by Trillian. This is a recent development after Microsoft withdrew the API that Trillian was using. On a more positive note, it seems Microsoft withdrew it for technical reasons rather than because they didn't want people using 3rd party clients, so it might be back at some point I hope.

Fri, 07/17/2015 - 09:35

#12

inflateme 100

I personally use yahoo, I've never had a problem with it.

Fri, 07/17/2015 - 16:51

#13

darth_clone19

Hmm, thinking if I should create a specific Skype account for talking to you guys :p

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Sat, 07/18/2015 - 11:05

#14

Delacroix

I've been sticking with YIM for quite a while now, though I try to get people to use Skype instead, YIM is simply outdated and becoming more and more broken.

Sat, 07/18/2015 - 14:14

#15

BalloonInflator

I'm a bit confused. Can someone please tell me what about YIM exactly "sucks"? As far as I can tell, it does exactly what it's supposed to do.

_{Just a little more. You can take it...I hope...}

Sat, 07/18/2015 - 21:06

(Reply to #15) #16

Lopni

Same here.

As I said, we can leave things be.

As of myself - I use both (plus a few more local).

Sat, 07/18/2015 - 14:46

#17

inflateme 100

That yahoo is going downhill and out of style so to speak. YIM is not outdated and will continue to flourish. Speaking personally ive been on yahoo for 15 yrs and absolutely no problems what so ever.

Sun, 07/19/2015 - 12:19

#18

inflatingclothes

I use Kik and I started a group for balloon clothes stuffers I accidentally made it private hmu to get access to it

Scarisgargoyle12

Contact me via Twitter https://twitter.com/wanna585?t=Ge9klnQkvF2HxSR8dF1efA&s=09

Thu, 07/23/2015 - 21:08

#19

erlain

I have kik, and I also have skype which I love; however, I use a Chromebook which does not support skype which leaves me stuck with googlehangouts, which means people have to have a google account (I have tried doing Android skype hacks/workarounds, it doesn't work). But I do have skype on mobile, it sucks for RPing in that way though.

Alternative to Yahoo Messsenger?

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