Everyone is talking about the latest sneaky trick from Yahoo. Apparently, users that download an update to their Yahoo IM software have their default search engine in IE7 switched to Yahoo. Additionally, users have the choice to check the "auto-update" option, which then proceeds to make even more changes, like setting the homepage to Yahoo and changing the default browser to IE7. Bad, Yahoo, bad.
Frankly, none of this is surprising. Historically, there have been many services that used shady techniques such as this. I remember years ago, when I first started to blog, I was ranting about how Real Player dug into your computer and insisted on auto-updating itself and sending you messages and reporting usage stats, etc. etc. Have you used Real Player lately? Not much has changed.
So where did this really get Yahoo? A bunch of bad PR and a hint of desperation. What really kills me is that there are people out there using Yahoo IM. Isn’t IM dying out? Who still uses Yahoo, MSN, or AOL IM on a daily basis? Obviously, not me. Maybe I’m wrong (am I wrong?), but I know that the kids have moved on, at least. These days, the tweens, teens, and college-kids are too busy leaving comments on Myspace or poking each other on Facebook to bother with IM. And if they do need to IM, they’ll just use Myspace’s integrated IM service. IM’s only chance for survival was a group effort for a universal messenger, and although Yahoo & MSN are getting together for that, it may be too little, too late. I wouldn’t be surprised if, in a few years, the only regular IM’ers were the corporate internal IM users.
P.S. Yes, I know the story is a few days old. Things are crazy for me lately…
Tags: Yahoo
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I have not used Yahoo! Toolbar or IM for sometime. I do, however, use Trillian quite a bit. I understand if teens are using Facebook or Myspace — but the walls/comments features there are like having a public conversation.
Not to mention that such conversations are not instant. I think teens are using text messages for more direct conversations.
Personally, the value I see in IM — and why I use it — is the ability to converse in real time while still having the ability to do other things, multitasking.
Quite frankly, I don’t think IM has gone away. Far from it, mostly because older Americans are still adapting to the technology. (My family, for example, holds a weekly chat session.)
Personally, I don’t think IM is dying out at all — in the business world, anyway. Increasingly, it’s a tool — often an annoying one, admittedly — for quick conversations between colleagues.
As the workforce becomes more dispersed, with more people working at home and companies paying less attention to where people live as opposed to the value they bring, my guess is that chat applications will grow in popularity.
I don’t think its dying out either. I still use Yahoo! to talk to some family members, but most of my chats are done through AIM. I know all the teens and college students are still using AIM, at least the ones I know.
Meebo! Less overhead on your computer. I have all the IM accounts, now all in one spot. Much easier if you ask me.
Rex
Hey Sara, I hope all is well with you and yours. I was hoping to say that I was glad that the holidays were over when Y! showed up in my browser. The last time I installed Y! Msgr, I unchecked those boxes like I usually do. Perhaps they reworded those choices, or maybe Y! ignored me.
But, it didn’t take me long to notice when a big red “Y!” appeared with a toolbar, and I noticed a smaller viewing window. I’ve been busy, so I just turned it off in my View menu until I get into removing it.
Y! has become a bad five letter word for being an inconsiderate bully, just from pushing their programs. We really should tag it as bullyware, and where Y! could be near the top of that list! *grins*
Also, I’ve put off getting a MySpace… until my nieces practically ganged up on me (via email) and so I figured I’d probably get less spam than… lol Anyway, I’ve had my pswd hacked twice already, and I still cannot login. Bah, MyBug!
Btw, I use email for most messages unless it’s something a bit more pressing. Such as tonight, when our friends invited us over to help them choose a new PC for their boys and to join them for pizza. There just will never be an IM that can beat sharing time with real friends.
Actually, I got rather fond of using Meebo.com for IM’g while I was using an older laptop with a small HD. I’m thinking that I may uninstall Y! and just stick to Meebo, Gmail, or any IM that doesn’t require an install. ttfn! ~ Becky
i have been a fan of yahoo since i got into puters. i have tried many other programs and things on this mess, and way things are going i believe i’ll stick with ole dependable windows and yahoo. i use google to do searches and thought i’d try them out, big, big mistake, as a creature of habit i could not keep up with the changes that were happening. i tried mozilla,firefox and i’m sure some others.i’m a big fan of freebies,at 70 and disabled for the last 20 yrs not enuff comes in to buy many programs. i have not used any of my money on em. my family has but i don’t trust many, thru all the crashes and such probs i could go to the library and get on yahoo and had every thing important to me and free. i use cliffs,infopackets and the newbie club. and more and taught me what i do know about this rig. now a new HPw/ 17″ lcd cool tool compared to a win98SE. until xmas06. got the win95 in 98 and kept it til now g’dotter wants to play with it.
thanks. but i’ll stick with yahoo,zonealarm avgrisoft,myway and other freebies that i can try and learn to trust. thanks for hearing me.
I admit…I use MSN and Y! daily. My last job everyone was required to use MSN just so it was standardized…and I couldn’t imagine ever not using it again in a place of business…just makes life 1000% simplier when all your co-workers are a click away. I don’t use AOL IM anymore but that’s just because I’m sick of 1000 people I don’t know IMing me at once when i do login.