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I agree with vorlin that people should not have to be "force-fed a paticular software program", and yahoo will lose more than a few users. Though I would pick yahoo over trillian anyday...with all of trillian's downfalls, bugs, vulnerabilities, and all of the system resources it eats up. I do how ever feel that it is a very good idea for someone to design a program like trillian that incorporates all of the various instant messaging programs, because there is no reason to have a million different programs that all have different downfalls, but all do mostly the same thing.
berg
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It's not just Yahoo, either. Microsoft just released a new version of MSN Messenger and is forcing users to update before using it. Should you decide not to update, it quits the program for you.
Problem is, administrative priveliges are required to install the newer version of MSN, preventing anyone from running it on my college network. The network admins are ecstatic about this, as most people here seem to be on MSN, which they say was eating about 20% of the school bandwidth.
As for an instant messenger client, I personally use Miranda IM, available at www.sourceforge.net, which does not require installation of any kind. Although it is still buggy, I have had no problem getting it to work with my system and/or my firewall and have successfully transferred files to AIM, MSN, ICQ, and Yahoo! users. Miranda no longer functions from college desktops, as they have now closed the ports required to use it, blaming the problem on Microsoft. :mad: (sorry, just venting)
Since the newer version of MSN Messenger requires admin priveleges to install, I am inclined to believe that it is used for more effective data mining by intercepting communications before they are sent to the OS. The only reason I can see for the requirement of admin priveleges would be to install a service which would circumvent security safeguards present in lower access accounts. Although 'intercepting communications' sounds a little on the paranoid side, I am not worried they are spying. However, they may be using the program to get a closer look at spyware installed on your system. Worse has been done by more reputable companies.
I feel I must comment on the practice of freeloading a messenger service from other servers. They are deliberately using bandwidth provided by 3rd parties, which costs everyone money except them. I cannot blame the major IM providers for attempting to limit or prevent thier use. The argument against this philosophy is that these people would be using this bandwidth anyway with a propiertary client, and are now using it simply with a different interface. However, these IM providers rely on thier products to make them money, through data mining and links provided at download time, among others. They cannot do this with 3rd party clients unless an agreement is in place. There is not.
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They are incorporating MSM into the operating system. That is why it may require admin priveledges. It's probably trying to modify your registry.
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Quote:
Originally posted here by Striek
It's not just Yahoo, either. Microsoft just released a new version of MSN Messenger and is forcing users to update before using it. Should you decide not to update, it quits the program for you.
o.O eh? I've had no such problem.... I'm running 6.0 and it's quite happy with it... no updates or anything.
You don't mean upgrading to 6.0 from a < 6 version do you? In which case there are reasons. The new versions (post 6.0) planned may be incompatible with previous versions due to the new features they are added.
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I got so annoyed with that Yahoo crap. Cerulean better patch it quick, because everytime i connect, it closes. I might just Download GAIM tonight and see how that works.
