Create a friends list

A friends list is what AOL refers to as a Buddy List. This is the group of people that you choose to talk to using your new instant messenger. To add a friends list to your IM client, choose Tools, Manage Friend's list, then Add a Friend, and fill in the appropriate information -- typically your friend's Yahoo! account user name. There's also a button called "I need help adding a friend" if you have any trouble.

Chat with your friends

Now, when you go online, a red Y will appear next to folks on your friends list who are online and a gray Y will appear next to friends on the list who are not.

To send a message to friends who are online, choose Tools, then Send, then Send a Message, and type the user name of the friend you'd like to talk with in the To box. To assemble a whole group of friends in the same IM chat room, choose Tools, then Yahoo! Chat, press Create a Room, and add all the friends from the list whom you'd like to have an online powwow.

Voice chat with friends

With Yahoo! Messenger, if you and a friend have microphones and headphones you can voice chat with each other across the Internet. It's like making a long distance phone call for free. The major drawback is a slight delay time and the fact that only one person can talk at once, much like on a walkie-talkie set.

To start a voice chat, just double-click the friend you'd like to chat with. On the chat window for that friend, press the Talk button. If everything is configured correctly, you should be able to voice chat. If you need help, goto the Help menu and choose Audio Setup Wizard.

Read this FAQ page on Yahoo!'s website for help in voice chatting.

Send a file to a friend

You can also use instant messengers to send files to your friends. Let's say you've found a great new MP3 file that you'd like your friends to listen to immediately.

To send them the file, choose Tools, then Send, and select File. Enter the name of the recipient and then click on the Browse button to locate the file on your hard drive. You have the option of writing a brief description of the file to boot.

News, sports, and money

Buttons at the bottom of the Yahoo! instant messaging window provide insight into the latest stock quotes, sports scores, and news headlines. Just click on the buttons to see what's happening. You can also customize all of these settings to give you news about particular stocks, sports teams, or news categories.

For example, you can choose to have your instant messenger send you the latest Latin American headlines. It's important to customize these settings as information relevant to your ZIP code is pushed. So you might find that the only headlines you see have to do with the local softball team.

Integration with Yahoo

If you use Yahoo! as your main portal, it really makes sense to use Yahoo! Messenger. If you use AOL, use AIM. If you use MSN, use Microsoft's instant messenger and so forth. Using the IM of the portal you most frequently visit makes life easier.

For example, by selecting the Y! menu in Yahoo! messenger, you have quick access to such Yahoo! features as mail, auctions, stock quotes, clubs, and online games.