Users of the Yahoo and Microsoft instant messaging programs can now contact each other directly. The two firms have released software that ties the two networks into a huge community of 350 million users.
The trial software allows people to swap text messages but will eventually let people talk to each other too. The move marks a break with the past when operators of the big instant message systems resisted calls to open up their networks.
AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo operate the largest instant messaging networks and, until recently, anyone wanting to talk to friends using different text chat systems had to maintain several separate accounts.
Users can sign up for the test software via the Yahoo and Microsoft messaging sites. Only those using the latest versions of the IM software will be able to join the trial. Eventually the software will be made available to every user.
The software uniting the two networks will use icons next to people's names to denote whether that person is on the Yahoo or Microsoft system.
luckily tho, the link is on Yahoo's site for the new Yahoo Messenger Beta featuring Windows Live Messenger communication: http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/
yeah that's what i was planning on doing, haven't installed yahoo on this machine, have very occasional need to use yahoo messenger which i can do thru portable gaim when necessary
email from Windows Live wrote:Hello! The wait is over because were knocking down the wall! Now with Windows Live Messenger, you can talk to your Yahoo! contacts. Forget needing multiple accounts to talk to all your friends--you can see when theyre online and communicate with them from one place.
You must click the link below in order to participate in this beta. After you sign up, add your friends Yahoo! addresses to your contact list and start typing!
yeah it said you only have to install if you don't already have Windows Live Messenger (which I believe you did?), if you do already have it it says just log out and back in of it
