Trouble with Yahoo web messenger

[Imua 0]

I am cross-posting this to the CR-1, K-3 and K-1 forums since I figure someone must have had this same problem. I have Yahoo Messenger downloaded to my home computer and have no problem copying the chat sessions to a Word doc and printing them out. At work I have to use Yahoo Web Messenger since I am unable to download programs to my work PC. It is the only time we can chat on weekdays because of the 10 hour time difference and my immediate supervisor is cool with it - I am just sitting at the ref desk and hardly anybody needs help when G comes to chat anyway - in case you are wondering.

My problem is when I try to download the history it doesn't load - it acts like it is searching but it never fully loads my history. At first I thought it was our sometimes-slow net connection at work but then I logged into YM from my home computer and it didn't work with my cable connection either.

If I am unable to print our chat history then we are royally screwed when it comes to the interview - that is our almost sole means of communication and evidence. I can print out our chats from the weekends but it is only a few compared to the weekdays. If I print out each chat session every day there is no way to verify the date - for the current chat window it does not show the date or time, also the format is not printer-friendly.

How have other people dealt with this??

[ikarus 1]

I have tried to access my yahoo web messenger history in the past, and it has never worked for me. You get a loading message and it never loads; i did searches on google before for this problem, and found couple of other people with the same issue. You can try testing it---make sure that the history option is checked under options, then chat, then try to access your history. Most likely it won't work. NOw, honestly, do you have any other means of proving an ongoing relationship? In our case, in addition to passport stamps showing i visited my fiance, pics together, and a hotel reservation email we had email chats and chat logs, but my fiance tells me that during the interview they only browsed that type of evidence, and is not like they stopped to search for dates and such.

Edited July 29, 2008 by ikarus

[DeadPoolX 9]

While I can't solve this problem for you (my experience with Yahoo Instant Messenger is limited), I can suggest you try something else. Three very good programs to use include...

1. Trillian Basic which is Cerulean Studios' free version of their multi-IM platform software. It can broadcast over AIM, ICQ, MSN and YIM. In addition, it has other features such as a built-in IRC chat function and audio chat (which was unique when Trillian was first completed; nowadays, most programs have this). It only runs on Windows and the main difference between the free and Pro versions is that with Pro, you get a few extra IM plug-ins and built-in video chat, as well as some sort of "dynamic chat history."

2. Pidgin was originally called "GAIM" but AOL made them change their name. This program is similar to Trillian (and in fact, the Trillian team has assisted with this project as well), but it's completely free -- there is no "pay version." While Pidgin does not include the ability to have video chat, it does work on multiple operating systems (so if you have Linux or MacOS, it'll run there) and it works with AIM, ICQ, MSN, YIM, IRC and other plug-ins. The major downside is that the level of support Pidgin receives is less than Trillian and it doesn't look anywhere near as nice.

3. Google Talk is my new personal favorite, as it is extremely user-friendly and very spartan in its appearance. You won't see a bunch of flashy ####### all over the place in it, but it's designed to text-chat or audio chat while using as few resources as possible. It also syncs perfectly with other Google software and since most people have a GMAIL account today, signing up for this is as easy as a very quick download. Google Talk's main drawback is it does not work with anything other than Google Talk, although you can communicate with someone who doesn't have it if they log into the web-based version of their GMAIL account. Using Outlook Express or Thunderbird won't cut it.

[Teacher Mark 53]

meebo.com people! It's a web based application. Give Yahoo the boot!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meebo

Edited July 29, 2008 by WideAwakeInTheUSA

[ikarus 1]

The only one that saves the chats for sure is google talk; of course, since you can't install it at your workplace, then best to run it from the email interface.

[Teacher Mark 53]

The only one that saves the chats for sure is google talk; of course, since you can't install it at your workplace, then best to run it from the email interface.

Meebo saves them online as well.

[DeadPoolX 9]

The only one that saves the chats for sure is google talk; of course, since you can't install it at your workplace, then best to run it from the email interface.

I believe there is a web-based version of Google Talk, but I think it lacks some of the functionality of the fully downloaded copy. I don't know for sure, since I haven't used it; I just know it exists.

[Imua 0]

Thanks everyone - I asked Govi to open a Gmail account so we can use the web version of GoogleTalk - we will try and if that doesnt work we will try one oif the other programs. You guys are the bestest!!!

[Teacher Mark 53]

Thanks everyone - I asked Govi to open a Gmail account so we can use the web version of GoogleTalk - we will try and if that doesnt work we will try one oif the other programs. You guys are the bestest!!!

The only problem with GoogleTalk is that you can't use a web cam. If someone knows how to use one with it please let me know.

Edited July 30, 2008 by WideAwakeInTheUSA

[DeadPoolX 9]

Thanks everyone - I asked Govi to open a Gmail account so we can use the web version of GoogleTalk - we will try and if that doesnt work we will try one oif the other programs. You guys are the bestest!!!

The only problem with GoogleTalk is that you can't use a web cam. If someone knows how to use one with it please let me know.

I suppose you can technically use a webcam with Google Talk, but not in the sense you're thinking about. Google Talk has audio chat functionality, so if you own a webcam, you can use the microphone on that, instead of getting a separate headset with an attached microphone or a stand-alone piece.

However, that's only audio and not video, so I doubt that's really what you wanted to know. As far as I can tell, right now Google Talk does not have the ability to use a webcam's video functions. They may add that in the future.

[trinket 30]

Google talks web version is really good, yes it doesn't support voice or file transfering but I guess you can't do voice anyways at work.

And since it saves everything in your Mail box, so there is no fear of losing your Chat archives ever (unless you decide to delete those)

I guess I am very passionate with gtalk because it literally saved our marriage, when my husband didn't have any computer access and he would talk to me through library, he couldn't download any chat clients with those library computers and well god (or may be devil) send gmail's web chat version just at the right time

[Imua 0]

Thanks everyone - I asked Govi to open a Gmail account so we can use the web version of GoogleTalk - we will try and if that doesnt work we will try one oif the other programs. You guys are the bestest!!!

The only problem with GoogleTalk is that you can't use a web cam. If someone knows how to use one with it please let me know.

I can still use Yahoo IM at home(installed on my PC) with cam on the weekends and print the archive - I don't need to cam from work(though that might be interesting) so for us it might work out. Silent, I work in a library so you see my situation, LOL...

[Teacher Mark 53]

Thanks everyone - I asked Govi to open a Gmail account so we can use the web version of GoogleTalk - we will try and if that doesnt work we will try one oif the other programs. You guys are the bestest!!!

The only problem with GoogleTalk is that you can't use a web cam. If someone knows how to use one with it please let me know.

I can still use Yahoo IM at home(installed on my PC) with cam on the weekends and print the archive - I don't need to cam from work(though that might be interesting) so for us it might work out. Silent, I work in a library so you see my situation, LOL...

I despised Yahoo. Our cams kept locking up, plus the fact that if your computer crashes you're screwed. We rarely have the cam that problem with meebo.

[Imua 0]

Thanks everyone - I asked Govi to open a Gmail account so we can use the web version of GoogleTalk - we will try and if that doesnt work we will try one oif the other programs. You guys are the bestest!!!

The only problem with GoogleTalk is that you can't use a web cam. If someone knows how to use one with it please let me know.

I suppose you can technically use a webcam with Google Talk, but not in the sense you're thinking about. Google Talk has audio chat functionality, so if you own a webcam, you can use the microphone on that, instead of getting a separate headset with an attached microphone or a stand-alone piece.

However, that's only audio and not video, so I doubt that's really what you wanted to know. As far as I can tell, right now Google Talk does not have the ability to use a webcam's video functions. They may add that in the future.

This is also the case with the web version of YIM - you cannot use cam or audio with it, it even has a smaller number of smilies available(no LOL smilie for example, which I find very strange). We talk and cam on the weekends though so that hasn't been a problem for us.

[Imua 0]

Thanks everyone - I asked Govi to open a Gmail account so we can use the web version of GoogleTalk - we will try and if that doesnt work we will try one oif the other programs. You guys are the bestest!!!

The only problem with GoogleTalk is that you can't use a web cam. If someone knows how to use one with it please let me know.

I can still use Yahoo IM at home(installed on my PC) with cam on the weekends and print the archive - I don't need to cam from work(though that might be interesting) so for us it might work out. Silent, I work in a library so you see my situation, LOL...

I despised Yahoo. Our cams kept locking up, plus the fact that if your computer crashes you're screwed. We rarely have the cam that problem with meebo.

I'll look into meebo - we have the same problem with cams on yahoo, especially Govi - the net connections in KTM are not the greatest. It would be good to have another web IM option since for now Govi is chatting from cybercafes - next week he hopes to get net access at home though.