Yahoo! Messenger team needs your input

@ Chris - Yahoo! messenger on the Mac has had video for a long time, as for audio. Isn't that the point of this poll? That not having to wait for them to make sure it works with older versions of the OS, they'll have more time to concentrate on bringing new features to the Mac version?

@ Michael Hodges - Not sure about AOL reigning supreme, certainly doesn't seem the case in the UK, MSN has that position. The people who use it tend not to want to switch to anything else. (I guess it could be academic if you use something like Adium).

Anyway, the newer version of Yahoo! Messenger is much improved over past offerings, it's nice they're doing more and having this poll. I went for not waiting. If you're still on 10.3, you can just continue to use the older version of the messenger, which seems fair.

I like Yahoo Messenger. The fact that I met my wife in a Yahoo chatroom probably has something to do with that. Anyway, without audio and video, Yahoo Messenger on the Mac is just yet another me-too inferior chat program.

Yahoo is still even working on YM? Hmmm. I use Adium like most everyone else here. Frankly I'm tired of all the different protocol p*ssing contests. Everyone just choose one and make it wor really well everywhere!!!!

Oh well...

I agree with #1, mummey; everyone should be transitioned to XMPP/Jabber. In fact it should be Yahoo's long-term strategy to move their IM service over to this protocol. XMPP is the future of IM, so Yahoo is going to either have to do it eventually anyway or let their IM service become extinct.

In the short-term Yahoo should just openly document their IM protocol and dump development of their own Mac client in favour of implementing the features into Adium/libpurple.

Sam - if you use something else like Skype or iChat or whatever for audio/video, and also can type from it too.... what's the point of using Yahoo's messenger then?

who even uses Yahoo messenger???? :) AOL's IM protocol reigned in as king years ago and it's been that way ever since.

Yahoo Messenger is so out dated and any bug fixes i the new version are likely to take several years. I stopped supporting Yahoo Messenger when they let their old version for Mac OS X go years without improvement.

I can't bring myself to use their stuff. It always seems to install more than I want and as far as IM apps goes feels "clunky" on Mac or PC.

10.3 (Panther) compatibility will be a dead issue once Leopard is released and Apple discontinues security fixes for Panther. You would be doing your users a disservice by continuing support for an insecure operating system (especially with applications like yours that require open internet ports).

Personally, the only people I know who are still using Panther are cheapskates. Since Leopard isn't sold as an "Upgrade", Tiger users will be able to sell their unneeded copies of Tiger for $10-$20 on craigslist or eBay which will be quite an appetizing price to the bargain hunters.

Elminating Tiger support is a different issue, but eliminating Panther support will be uncontroversial and a blessing in disguise once security fixes are discontinued.