just confirming what I had guessed

[ceagle]

I thought it might be interesting to try the yahoo messenger... ..so I could try the video feature that some folks have mentioned, but I knew that meant installing the yahoo program *bleah*
I've been putting it off for a lonnnnng time because of having seen what some programs can do to *other* programs, and to the system itself sometimes, and I suspected based on Yahoo's history, that it would have lots of crap up its sleeve in that regard. *rolls eyes*

So what the heck, I looked into it a bit and learned that supposedly the latest version doesn't support Win95 (yes I still use dat, cuz it's my experiment machine.. ;> ) ...sooooo, I looked around in hopes of finding version 5.5, which supposedly *does* support it, but is hard to find since I waited so long.
I find a site, and then when it starts loading, turns out the installer just goes to download *another* latest installer from Yahoo anyway... ;P (so if I'm gonna bother again, I'll need that second *older* installer for 5.5 actually, if anyone has it).

So 5.6.etc starts to load, and I read through some of the license stuff (did you know you are not allowed to use Yahoo while boating?) ;D ! ...and then it gets its nutty little self onto my system and I begin to check for its tracks before doing anything else...

Turns out it has pretty thoroughly had its way with my system, the browser mainly, putting little shortcuts and menubars and icons all over the place... it even screwed up my trash icon! arrgh! ...so I decided to nip this in the bud and uninstall it...
...which of course it leaves its trash behind anyway, due to a lousy (probably on purpose) uninstall program... so I then gotta go through the registry and pick up all its litter, disable the mines, and lock the trap doors..

Luckily I found what seemed to be just around a half dozen key folders and many more entries, including the one that carved its initials onto my browser menu.. but I was able to change the words in the menubar to represent what I think of their installer.. *wags* :>

So now at least I have a little souvenir reminder of Yahoo that I can chuckle about, instead of the crafty plans it had for the appropriation of my computer... *hehe*....

...back to NetMeeting for me instead! :>

Comments

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

I had a very simple way to use Yahoo: Messenger without all the spam, adware and spyware that it puts onto the machine. I bought Trillian Pro, which supports AOL Messenger, IRC, ICQ, Yahoo, AND Microsloth Messenger...and does so nearly flawlessly. All at once. I can't recommend it enough.

-- ArchTeryx

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Wow... yeah, I've heard about Trillian... I wonder if it allows the cam/phone feature, which was the reason I was gonna load Yahoo anyway...

Thanks for the advice! *hugs*

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

Get the Pro version. The 'free' version was a complete mess when I tried to work with it; the Pro version has thus far worked flawlessly.

The URL for it is http://www.trillian.cc.

-- ArchTeryx

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the note... do you know if it supports the video-audio features of yahoo/icq etc..?

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. Alot of that may be proprietary (I KNOW that the multimedia in ICQ is) so Trillian may not support it. It's designed more as a universal connector, rather then a 100% replacement.

However, looking through my copy, I notice that the Yahoo segment of it DOES have an entire Webcam section, so at least one feature may still work. :)

But take my word as a grain of salt. Look at the website; it has complete FAQs and documentation.

-- ArchTeryx

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Excellent.... thanks! :D

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

Trillian is great. Unfortunately, at least with the free version, the web cam feature does not work. :(

But for all other uses, I think Trillian is the greatest, and agree with you wholeheartedly!

-=TK, pleased Trillian user

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

thanx for the tip.... :>
I didn't see anywhere on the page that it does support video-audio, but I guess that can be ascertained by askin' around.. which should do *waggle*

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. I'm sure that such settings will come with time. It will require some serious coding, though, since Y! IM is the only program on Trillian that does offer webcam via it's normal program, and that is actually quite a hefty setup. I, too, have a copy of Y! IM floating around my system so I can see the webcam at times.

Oh, and Y! has been cauing Trillian 0.74e to crash recently. Beware.

-=TK

Coolness!

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Thanks a bunch!
Yeah, even their site says that .74 isn't stable with some features, so if I decide to try it, I may go with the paid Trillian :> *wags*