| What are instant messages? Here are some tips & explanations taken from the Yahoo! help pages.... Instant messages are used to communicate with friends on the Internet. They are similar to email because they consist of text that you type back and forth. However, unlike email, you don't have to wait hours or days for an answer. As the name suggests, messages you send usually arrive instantly. (Yahoo offers a "voice chat" option which allows for live voice conversation, free of charge regardless as to the location of the participants.) Yahoo! Messenger allows you to send instant messages. Using Yahoo! Messenger, you can see when friends are online and chat back and forth with them, like having a real conversation. ( You can access me immediately when my Yahoo presence is illuminated, & we can speak in "real" time. If my presence is not illuminated I will still receive your message when I log on. You may also request a voice chat & we can speak as though we are on speaker phone with a conventional telephone. Once again free of charge. ) Is Yahoo! Messenger private? Only the person or people to whom you send messages should be able to read your messages. If you are getting messages from people you want to avoid, click the "Ignore" button in the message window to add them to your Ignore list. What do I need to use Yahoo! Messenger? Yahoo! Messenger is a free service that uses the connection you have established with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Download the messenger software and sign up for a free Yahoo! Account. (This is a good little program. Simple to install & very easy to use....Even if your inexperienced.) How do I get Yahoo! Messenger? CLICK HERE! |