[thegreenmile]

I suggest Skype or Trillian.

I suggest Trillian as the first solution if users are permitted to engage in their yahoo accounts through Trillian *edited* after Yahoo Messenger is defunct.  

If that is not applicable - then I suggest Skype.

I do not suggest Kik, for it requires users to purchase a smartphone (if they do not currently own one.) Thus, we alienate those who do not desire to spend several hundred dollars on an unnecessary device.

On the other hand, Skype is accessible through computer. Thus, Skype wins.

[Jonica]

Good Discussion Topic!
Having relied upon Yahoo Messenger for ~3 years on Yahoo, I'm glad someone spoke about the elephant the room.

Getting straight to the point... Here's how I see the existing Yahoo - FCF Community breaking up post the big D day.

>50%
FCF~FCF Chat~FCF Personal Messaging~~
Advantages: Feel at home with FCF. Familiar place.
Disadvantages: 10 msgs/day limit, Need to enter CAPTCHA code every time.
Resolution? Increase messaging limit subject to storage availability (more messages to store - more space required)

<25%
Chat WebSites~http://www.freecatfights.com/forums/index.php?action=chat~Chat Step~~
Advantages: Closest Thing to the existing Yahoo Messenger Experience
Disadvantages: Not good enough. Doesn't have some key features like font customization, photo sharing.
Resolution: Nothing can be done about this.

Remaining ~25%
Mobile Based IMs~Kik~Trillian~Yahoo App?
Advantages: Provides you with basic messaging facilities
Disadvantages: Basic Facilities aren't nearly enough for a whole lot here.
My opinion: Helps you to stay in touch, but pretty unreliable!

My overall opinion:
Based on the available alternatives, I don't think we can have ONE 'Go-To' alternative. But we may have  to rely on more than one alternative.

Ex: Chatz*y(Fighting) + Chat Step/Email (Photo Sharing) + Kik/Trillian(Conversations).

But that's just my two cents people!

I honestly never thought I would see a SWOT analysis on FCF.  That is awesome!!

[Wrestlerjunkee]

Trillian does offer most of what you're looking for.  It also has the benefit of adding other accounts into it as well (like Twitter). 

[Ewa S]

Thanks to everyone who suggested Trillian (and few other Yahoo alternates), but here is my concern.

On August 5th, Yahoo is not sneaking into our apartments, and uninstalling Yahoo off it. We will all still have the program, but they are pulling the plug on the IM servers *on their end*. And if my theory is correct, that means that Trillian will have nothing to connect to on August 5th; just like the Windows/Mac versions of Yahoo (to those who still use old Mac OS).

I know that some of you will say 'but the web version of yahoo will still works, so Trillian should do!!'. Nope, I do not think that is true, because the Web version of Yahoo is a completely different protocol. It is plain and out different, lacking even the basic functionality of showing who is online/offline, environments, backdrops etc etc. It's pretty much a glorified email client, but let's just call it 'Yahoo lite'. I'm almost certain that it uses different algorithms, data packets, and servers than IM, or it would stop working August 5th as well. Heck, it must be much more 'lite', and thus, requiring cheaper hardware to run, and that's why the whole move was initiated in the first place.

That's why, I do not believe that Trillian, or any other IM service that uses your Yahoo credentials will work after August 5. Sure, you will still be able to use Trillian to log to Twitter, AOL, MSN, ICQ etc, but the part of it that connects to YM will just idle out.

I hope I am wrong... Because if not, I must have made the picture far more grim for most of you... But if I am not, I think we need to discuss other 'complete' alternatives to Yahoo. Out of all the options above, I think honestly Skype came out on top. Then there is MSN, but are there other 'free' (No VK) alternatives?

Remember guys, it's going down August 5, which means we have less than a month. Tick Tock :-(

[Wrestlerjunkee]

You're exactly right Ewa. It will not work after August 5th on Trillian or another method. I have been emailing with the dev team on this. However you can use Trillian to chat with other Trillian users. I have my account on there (GrapplerJunkee) and I chat with a few other Trillian users without an issue. It's like yahoo but better in my opinion.

You can have notifications of contacts coming online, however their mobile app needs more work.

[Ewa S]

Trillian explains what will happen with Yahoo...


https://www.trillian.im/help/user/yahoo-messenger/

Well, that confirms my fears.... I guess the move is to pick either Trillian or Skype, and start sharing our new accounts there; slowly migrating and re-building our social connections there before Yahoo takes things down in 4 weeks.... Annoying as fuck... But hey, I guess the bright side is I'll get to drop the 300+ 'friends' I have on my list that I haven't seen in years ^^

[StefanieKTX]

It seems like Ewa was hoping to find a solution that would just carry over all yahoo messenger contacts as is, but I just don't think that's going to happen. Why would any other service go out of their way to tie in with an eighteen year old messaging service? Trillian works just like messenger, but is far more stable. I wish it had photo sharing, but as a Mac user, I've never had that anyway, so I'll still be sending files, just as I've always done. So create a Trillian account, have your friends do it as well, and make sure you have the new names before yahoo goes down.

I'm StefanieKTX. It seemed like a good time to get rid of that ancient Silkstef nick.

[TaekwonGirl]

I made a Q&A for people switching from YIM to Trillian.

http://www.freecatfights.com/forums/index.php/topic,58772.0.html

[Ewa S]

It seems like Ewa was hoping to find a solution that would just carry over all yahoo messenger contacts as is

No... Not really ^^ -- Has nothing to do with why I started the thread actually, I was pretty aware that such magical solution does not exist Stef. I just wanted to alert people about Yahoo going away in the first place, since many didn't know; and give the community a far-enough heads up to discuss where we wanna go. The majority indicated picking Trillian, and that's where most of us are already ^^

[Die For Dina]

Trillian does have its own server.  No sweat.  I use it disconnected from Yahoo entirely.

[carolsingapore76]

I am on Trillian id carolsingapore76

[RedEnforcer]

So I have been offlinr for a bit and am catching up on the Yahooageddon. Can anyone let me know the best way to archive my old chats?

[Ewa S]

So I have been offlinr for a bit and am catching up on the Yahooageddon. Can anyone let me know the best way to archive my old chats?

I'm not entirely sure, but I *think* (and plz don't hate me if I am wrong); that the chat logs will be fine. You can always retrieve and view them from Yahoo Mail; and that part is not going away.

But to be safe, I think you should just back up the important chats that you want to keep manually; in a slow, agonizing, mind-numbing process. You have 2 weeks still!!

[RedEnforcer]

Thanks Ewa. Here I go archiving

[Gaelle]

I am really surprised nobody mentionned Second Life as an alternative.
Ok, it is a heavy program to download and if you use the (recommended) Firestorm viewer, you really need a strong computer to enjoy it without crashing all the time.

Yes, it is different of the usual cyber fighting that we knew on yahoo or other clients.  It is something diferent but, believe me, the community there is great.  many are old Yahoo users.

Yes, it is hard to understand how it really works at first but people there are willing to help.  I play there since almost three years now and I'm addict.

Still, and even if I won't come very often, I created a Trillian account : LadyGaelle.  Those who remembers me can still add me there.