Yahoo! Messenger needs a user interface designer

Saturday, September 27, 2003

Yahoo! Messenger needs a user interface designer

Screenshot of Proteus, MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger. Observe that the Proteus contact list (top right) makes the most efficient use of screen space, that the MSN Messenger conversation window is the most elegant, and that the Yahoo! Messenger windows are all ugly (bad font rendering, bad layout). Yahoo! seriously needs a good user interface designer. Click to enlarge.

Why am I ranting about this now? Because Yahoo! just booted me from a productive IM experience into one that interferes with my work (it's not just the interface, the usability sucks too). MSN is threatening to do the same come October 15 (nice interface but sub-optimal usability).

For me, this means only one thing: switch to using Jabber, ICQ or AIM for my regular communications, and use the official clients only when someone I want to talk to isn't on any other network.

jbritto — Sep 27, 2003 5:11:34 AM — # ↩

So what would be the features of the Ideal IM app in your opinion? Is Trillian the best?
I realize YM isnt that great, but a lot of people are just used to the way it works... There are a lot of features of ICQ that I like and I use it extensively at work, but it's still too quirky
- bluesmoon — Sep 27, 2003 5:24:20 PM — # ↩
  
  trillian doesn't allow multiple accounts on a single service. That's something I really want. Decent UI, but that's about it.
  - jbritto — Sep 27, 2003 9:56:24 PM — # ↩
    
    Duh .. Trillian is not available for the Mac?
  - kaustubhhere — Sep 28, 2003 8:04:14 AM — # ↩
    
    The Pro version of Trillian does allow multiple accounts on a single instance. The drawback is that it synchronises all your accounts to have the same contacts, which obviously is not acceptable by people who use different accounts to categorize the contacts they chat with.
kaustubhhere — Sep 27, 2003 6:01:15 AM — # ↩

I have been ranting about this too for the last couple of days. The Yahoo Messenger for Linux is pathetic when compared to GAIM or YIM for Windows. What I am worried about right now is how I can continue to use MSN Messenger on Linux after October 15th?
- madhav — Sep 27, 2003 10:14:29 AM — # ↩
  
  Just curious
  Whats the Oct 15 deal ?
  - kaustubhhere — Sep 27, 2003 10:38:49 AM — # ↩
    
    Re: Just curious
    See this on the GAIM website
- bluesmoon — Sep 27, 2003 5:26:31 PM — # ↩
  
  gaim and ayttm should both work with MSN after Oct 15. Yahoo however, is a bigger problem.
Anonymous — Sep 27, 2003 9:53:25 AM — # ↩

Dude,
Which Window environment (manager) are u using.
- tariquesani — Sep 27, 2003 11:38:13 AM — # ↩
  
  ROFLMAO - Seriously you mean it?
- vaibhav — Sep 27, 2003 2:31:34 PM — # ↩
  
  That..... might be.... win98 with Microsoft plus Apple-peach theme. ;)
- mannu — Sep 27, 2003 6:49:40 PM — # ↩
  
  It's called OS X.
  - Anonymous — Sep 28, 2003 7:20:33 AM — # ↩
    
    Why do u think he asked anonymously.
    Ohh mighty geeks,
    When will u all learn to be humble.
thaths — Sep 27, 2003 10:50:09 PM — # ↩

Adverts
What do you have to say about the ugly ass adverts on MSN Messenger?

Thaths
ravi — Sep 27, 2003 11:09:39 PM — # ↩

IRC for life.
- kvk — Sep 28, 2003 2:18:52 AM — # ↩
  
  Exactly my sentiments ;-)
  
  I hate MSN messenger & Proteus because they waste too much of valuable screen 'real estate'. Yahoo messenger follows IRC closer - the messages appear next the sender's handle.
  - Kiran Jonnalagadda — Sep 28, 2003 4:11:59 AM — # ↩
    
    It's configurable in Proteus. I prefer the layout in the screenshot because it's easier on the eyes.
    
    Overall, Proteus makes the most efficient use of screen space.