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Yahoo! Chat Clients
What are Yahoo! Chat Clients?
Yahoo! Chat Clients are the programs used to interact with Yahoo! Chat. Official clients include Yahoo! Messenger and Yahoo! Java Chat and Chat2.0. However, these are very vulnerable to boot codes, and for that reason people use third party chat clients.
This webpage has been designed in order to give you an overview of the available Yahoo! Chat Clients. It is not a full description of each client, but the important facts are covered, for more information, view their websites. I try to give an unbiased review, and leave it for you to choose, I don't selectively choose clients based on whether I like their authors as some websites do!
Mac, Linux and other Platforms
We don't list or review clients here for the Max OS or for GNU/Linux or Unix Operating Systems.
For a list of these, visit here: http://www.carbonize.co.uk/Yahoo/clients.php
Comparison
The table below lists which clients support some of the more important features. Most clients support a basic set of features, which I need not list. Unique features may appear in the descriptions, below. Click a client name to read more, or scroll down to go through each one! Click a heading for more information on what it means.
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Yah-Too - http://www.geocities.com/trolling_around
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The newer and maintained version of Yah-Ha by Trolling Around. Unfortunately it has no graphical smileys, it uses a font typeface. It is low on features however it lets you add your own through scripts!
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GOOD
Very nice user interface
User can extend its limited features
Tattoo support
Yahoo! File Transfer Support
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BAD
Limited features
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JAM - http://www.geocities.com/trolling_around
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By the author of YahToo below, this is the only 3rd party client listed here that has put more emphasis into the Messenger part of the client, such as the movements of buddies, offline messages. You can use it like Yahoo! Messenger, without entering a chat room! BUT it does also have a chat client built in, so you can chat! It's very much like the Yahoo! Messenger, without some of their features such as IMVironments.
For full voice access, skins and avatars, use JAM Version 5.
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GOOD
Buddy Management
More like Yahoo! Messenger
Can IM and see online buddies without going into chat.
Easy to use and customisable interface.
Built in HTTP server (File Sharing)(V4)
Glyphs - Tattoo you create yourself (V5)
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BAD
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YaZak - http://messy.zak.2ya.com
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A fairly new client produced in Visual Basic (which means you may need the runtime files off the site). It doesn't have the best of user interfaces, but it has tried, and it works well. It's fairly boot proof.
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GOOD
Gossip Chat
Auto Word Correction
Audibles
Animated Smileys
Animated Avatars
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BAD
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no5 - http://no5.helpbytes.co.uk
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no5 is a re-release of the program of the same name. no5 currently lacks some features such as avatars, but contains animated smileys. The unique feature of no5 is the programmable system, you can create new scripts and forms by programming them in VBScript to add your own functionality.
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GOOD
Programmable - Beyond "emotes in buttons!" and simple macros
Small Download
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BAD
Early stages - Lacks Avatars and tattoo selector, for example.
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CheetaChat - http://www.cheetachat.com
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CheetaChat has been around a while, and boasts many of it's own unique features. Cheeta Chat is now back in a new Beta, however it's account management facility makes logging in the first time difficult to see.
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GOOD
Auto Update
Compatible with their own chat server
Text To Speech
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BAD
Still in beta, will be buggy - authors own words.
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YAM - http://www.trolling.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.html
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YAM (Yet Another Messenger) is a new Messenger & Chat client by the same author as JAM. The client features a nice user interface and a custom, efficient and safer output as opposed to the Internet Explorer Control used by Yahoo! Messenger.
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GOOD
Supports Glyphs, in addition to Tattoos and Avatars.
Runs nicely as a messenger replacement without chat.
Animated user list events.
Custom, more efficient chat output.
Animated Avatars & Smileys.
Yahoo! Compatible Emotes - Just drop in your emote file.
Voice in Chat and PM.
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BAD
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YahELite - http://www.yahelite.org
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Not as old as cheeta, but YahELite has been around a long time, and is very easy to customise, most aspects of the client can be customised to your own liking. It's very small to download and is a low memory user. It's easy to operate, but you might get confused at the start. Smaller, limited versions are also available, See Here. This client also supports mail retrieval and sending, as well as Yahoo! SMS.
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GOOD
File Sharing
Levels of Spam Protection
Extension Feature for programmers, see YahSeek
500 Quick access buttons - for common posts
Spell checking
Text To Speech
Support for international character and all international room lists.
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BAD
Confusing to the new user for the first 10 minutes!
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YahEh - http://yaheh.ourchat.org
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A basic chat client, whose once exclusive feature of simultaneous double protocol login, is now no longer available.
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GOOD
Debug Mode & Packet Constructor
Small download!
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BAD
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El33tchat - http://www.el33tchat.com
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A new chat client derived from an older version of Y!Mlite, meant to be lighter, hence it lacks many features of current Y!Mlites.
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GOOD
Less features than later versions of Y!Mlite you may not need.
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BAD
Some bugs are cleary existent.
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Y!Mlite - http://daynacommunications.com/ymlite/
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A newer client written in Delphi. Also has a more compact limited version available. Has 100 smileys, extends that of the 79 Yahoo! ones. Has automation features. no long work around required.
Y!Mlite recently included the YahELite Extension feature, and personality feature.
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GOOD
Intelligent name complete
Automated Features
User defined Buttons
File Sharing
Skins
Quick Mail to other Y!Mlite users.
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BAD
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