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To view or not to view

April 20, 2007 on 1:19 pm | In Features | 25 Comments

Now that we have a blog, I get little tips all the time from Yahoo! Messenger team members. “Hey, did you know you can…”. Today’s tip is about modifying your Messenger conversation window. Some of us like clean, simple windows, others like to have all the bells and whistles close at hand. By default, almost all controls are exposed in the user interface, so I’ll describe how you can hide some parts.

When you click on the View menu at the top of the window, you have the option to hide certain parts of the interface. Uncheck the “Conversation toolbar” and the top strip with the Call, Plug-ins, Webcam etc. buttons will disappear. You can bring it back anytime by selecting “Conversation toolbar” again from the view menu. If you prefer it hidden, you can also use Alt + A commands to access those same features in the “Actions” menu.

In the “View” menu you can also hide/unhide the text formatting toolbar that sits down near the text entry box. I don’t use it often since Messenger supports universal bold (ctrl+b), italic (ctrl + i) and underline (ctrl + u) key commands. But if you’re a font or text color chameleon, you might find it easier to keep it visible.

And if you find your own Avatar / Display image is in the way (or your friend’s), just click the little friend icon () next to it to hide and unhide it. The same goes for the Audibles menu – if you like it open for easy access, just click the lips icon.

The best part is that any changes you make to your IM window are preserved as you open up new IM windows and even when you sign out and back in again.

Sarah Bacon
Product Manager

25 Comments »

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  1. It would be even nicer if some attention were paid to the problems entering the chat rooms and staying there without dozens of bots. I’ve always used yahoo for many things, but, more and more I’m going elsewhere to chat. You are driving us away with the poor conditions.

    Comment by Bob Parker — April 20, 2007 #

  2. I didn’t know where to post this, so I put it here; It’s another point of view about yahoo messenger, and I like to hear someone else’s opinion.

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=kXFRT2qgtec
    have a nice day !

    p.s. I would like to be connected with someone over there because I some other ideas.

    Comment by Pascalin Silviu — April 20, 2007 #

  3. Miss Bacon,
    You seem like an intelligent individual, but this blog proves unintelligent. Everybody (99.9%) of the users know how to make their IM box look cleaner or to have it so that it shows all the whistles. Writing a Blog like this, seems as if you are insulting your customers.

    Why not start working your servers so that we can log in? Why not take care of the ad bots in the chat room? If Chet Simspon can create a program to block bots, your IT department could do something to stop the bots at the ISP level. Also, you guys promised a Vista build of YIM, starting in November 06 and its April 07, going on May.

    The Apple (Mac) users have been waiting for a new build of YIM as well, how about letting them have what they want?

    Stop beating around the bush with these stupid little blogs, and start listening to your customers. There are many of us who PAY to use Yahoo services, through our ISP, such as AT&T and Verizon…we deserve a little recognition and we deserve to have products that actually work.

    Sincerely,
    Ken

    Comment by gothicmemberyoda — April 20, 2007 #

  4. WOW!!!!!! That is soooo use…less. Here is a tip, make a public post on what the status of the Mac version is. Or better yet just let us know its dead and we can all go use MSN Messenger. Its a sad day when Microsoft has better support for chat than anyone else. Yahoo’s support of the Mac platform is non-exhistant that is why more and more Mac users have turned to Google.

    Alex

    Comment by Alex Rodriguez — April 20, 2007 #

  5. How about giving us some tips about getting into chat room faster, eh? Yea, I thought not.

    Just 25 more days until May 14th (the day the chat problems are supposed to be resolved). Let’s hope your reputation isn’t damaged by then Yahoo. Or worse… Pulling chat rooms altogether.

    Comment by Venom — April 20, 2007 #

  6. Alex,

    The reason there probably isn’t any Mac news, is because there’s probably nothing to tell. The Mac version isn’t as important as the Windows version apparently. You’ll probably see the Vista version of Y!M WAY before we hear anything about the Mac version. Oh well…

    On the other hand, Yahoo may be just waiting to launch the Vista version to launch a new Mac version as well? Who knows… Well, somebody does, they’re just not telling.

    Comment by Venom — April 20, 2007 #

  7. I agree with everyone else…stop wasting your time on piddly blogs and listen to your customers. Yahoo IM has become pathetically more and more useless. It takes 5-10 minutes to log into a chat room…and another 5 – 10 minutes to change rooms. Also have you noticed that the chat room listings hardly ever refresh with current number of users? Also, fix your customer support (if you could even call it support?) I sent an email complaining about the time it takes to log into a chat room and I got a automated response telling me how to ignore offending people in chat rooms? Yahoo can’t even get the automated email right. Stop wasting everyone’s time and fix the damn problems….please!!!!!

    Comment by dilbert_36m — April 20, 2007 #

  8. One more thing…

    Chat rooms were working fine again (getting into rooms within 10 seconds a couple days ago) with YMLite’s “Bumping” and YTK Pro’s Chat Room “Brute Forcing” features until somebody at Yahoo decided to fix the dropped packet issue, thus making both features ineffective, AND causing more lag problems.

    Thanks Yahoo.

    P.S. I’m being sarcastic with the thank you if you didn’t notice.

    Comment by Venom — April 20, 2007 #

  9. WEll as of a few days ago, joing a CHAT ROOm became “impossible”, so much for YAHOO “updates” on thier servers. Whats the deal?? Do you enjoy making people frustrated and upset ? SO mant time there are MORE BOTS then humans in ANY ROOMS,sheeshhhh,. I no longer go into rooma s i CANT GET IN THEM,”server downt resapond” is the common PROBLEM!!!!! Wait 10 minutes between abd the “Servers” never responds, Thanks YAHOO for making what i USED to enjoy OBSOLETE, at least the PM will work on ocassin!

    Comment by nitrofc54 — April 20, 2007 #

  10. Good thing Yahoo decided to “drop the ball” again and allow packets to be dropped once more. Room joining with YMLite/YTK Pro in under 10 seconds with Bumping/Brute Forcing is quick and simple. However long it’ll last again until Yahoo decides to fix the dropped packets issue once again is anyone’s guess.

    Thanks Yahoo!

    P.S. That was a real thank you that time ROFL.

    Comment by Venom — April 21, 2007 #

  11. thank you yaho for all new things !

    Comment by beni — April 22, 2007 #

  12. LMAO how on earth does she come up with this garbage anyone with a brain cell can work out how to hide the features well when i call them features thats being nice i should say bulk does she really think we are this stupid? seriously though its funny how she only responds to positive feedback and completely ignored the o 400+ comments regarding chat spam she clearly looks at comments post a topic on spam and see how your users really feel or a release date for vista messenger or explaining why there is such a delay in joining chat on messenger need i go on even when it is fixed hell who wants to chat when 80% of the ”users” are bots

    Comment by Karl — April 23, 2007 #

  13. Thanks to Yahoo for fixing the dropped packets issue once again. May I suggest getting your decisions straight? You fix it, then you unfix it, then you fix it again. What gives?

    Anyways, thanks for making Bumping/Brute Forcing go 6 feet under again… Any Y!Necromancers around to bring back from the dead? Yea, I thought not.

    I wonder how long the fix will last this time?

    P.S. Thanks Yahoo. Seriously, I mean it. :>

    Comment by Venom — April 23, 2007 #

  14. Is this a bug or intentional behavior to push Yahoo Search?

    When resizing the Yahoo! Messenger conversation window, the window recalls its size settings if it is closed and reopened. For example, if you stretch it out horizontally or vertically, it remembers that size. However, if you make it compact (shrink it horizontally so the yahoo search bar disappears) it forgets its size and resets to the default. It also leaves a cosmetic issue on the title bar, a remnant of the search bar form I suppose.

    Comment by The Pick of Destiny — April 24, 2007 #

  15. TO: Yahoo! Inc.
    REFERENCE: Chat room lag

    Dear Sirs/Madams,

    It has become clear to this user that the problem switching chat rooms, in as much as lag time is concerned, has been resolved.
    It is refreshing to use this service when said service is in a state of good repair.
    Having been on the brink of passing Yahoo Messenger off as just another piece of clutter, I was pleased to see chat room functions working properly when I logged in last Thursday.
    Allow me at this time to say thank you. It has come to pass that on certain days, when I have time to spare, I enjoy chatting it up a bit in Yahoo Chat. Usually just an hour or two a day, sometimes longer on Sunday. It passes the time when I’m bored.
    I will maby investigate all the “bells & whistles” now that I can log in and switch chat rooms to find one I like in a timely manner. It now feels like way back in the day when I first started using Yahoo Messenger in 2003 with version 5.6.
    As for myself I can live with a few rogue spam-bots. I don’t think anyone could get rid of them entirely with the free service you provide. I imagine someday you all will figure out a way and be the model of how to run spam-bots out of internet chat rooms.
    Remember, too, that with all the hubbub about internet chat rooms, and the “stigma” sometimes associated with those that frequent them, that we ARE NOT ALL SICKO.
    Look at the Health & Wellness room category. Lotta cancer patients keeping united there. Hobbies & Crafts keep people connected with good ideas. I have conjured up more than one recipe from the food rooms.
    Again, thank you for fixing the chat room lag problem.

    Comment by chochy — April 28, 2007 #

  16. Sarah,

    Thank you for the tip about viewing Messenger. Just wondering if there are any plans in the works for Messenger to be viewed as a sidebar, i.e. parked at either side of the screen – and the other maximized windows would fit neatly next to it? I think the option would be appreciated by those of us who like things more organized (and always visible – but not always on top). Thanx.

    Comment by Todd — May 1, 2007 #

  17. Hi Todd – I don’t know of any plans for a feature like that; it’s a great suggestion. The closest thing we do offer like that is the Messenger sidebar that’s part of Yahoo! Toolbar. When you have Yahoo! Toolbar installed (and visible in your browser) and you’re signed into Messenger, click the Messenger button on the Toolbar and choose “Open Sidebar”. This will tuck your Messenger contact list in the sidebar of your web browser. You can then see who’s online and start an IM from there. It’s not the desktop sidebar that you’re suggesting but a similar concept. You can get Toolbar at:

    http://toolbar.yahoo.com

    Thanks,

    Sarah Bacon

    Comment by Administrator — May 1, 2007 #

  18. i will always love you

    Comment by laurence — May 4, 2007 #

  19. will flickr replace photo on messanger photo share?

    Comment by Mark — May 5, 2007 #

  20. [John - sorry to hear about these issues. Comment was removed because it's off-topic. - Sarah Bacon]

    Comment by john — May 20, 2007 #

  21. I tried hiding it but when I restored it the call button is missing pls help

    Comment by Altaf — January 11, 2009 #

  22. njoi;h.,

    Comment by jhen — January 17, 2009 #

  23. hello i have alway sign in problem waiting a minute doing it again & again. when im sign in my web cam have alway connecting problem. my pc home vista i dont kno what is the problem i hope you can help me to solve this. pls help

    Comment by olympio — January 22, 2009 #

  24. I WOUD LIKE TO GO FROM MY MAIN PAGE TO YAHOO CHAT BUT I CAN MAKE IT WORK
    PLEASE HELP ME.

    Comment by ES PERA — January 23, 2009 #

  25. dear Sir/Madam
    am trying to get in my yahoo messenger but am unable to get the messages sent from my friends on the yahoo messenger window. Can u plz tell me what is wrong with my yahoo messenger?
    Thank you

    Comment by Arlene — January 25, 2009 #

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