Yahoo!, like MSN, has a large number of users who use its portal, leading to a swell of 11 million Yahoo! Messenger users in a short time. This is partly because Yahoo! takes advantage of its portal features and integrates them well with the IM client.

Yahoo!'s offerings are accessible through tabs on the main IM interface. For example, if you track stocks in portfolios you set up on My Yahoo!, they will appear on the Messenger window through a tab with a stock graph icon. Any news that you customized on the same My Yahoo! page will also appear on the IM interface. Additionally, you can view your calendar, and the software will alert you to the arrival of any new messages or responses to any classifieds. It also has a chat function that operates in a separate window. The chat interface is different from the website, though you can access the same chat rooms.

Yahoo! Messenger's interface is strikingly clean and well organized. Much like its website, Yahoo! does away with overly fancy graphics and opts for simplicity and understandability. You can have as few as two tabs at the bottom of the window, or include all the tabs that point to Yahoo! content. You can also customize the look of the interface by downloading Yahoo!'s generic tool bar, then using an image editing software program to create your own graphics.

As with the website, the IM application lets you have four other identities. Each identity can have its own buddy list and classifieds alerts, but the rest of the content will be the same as that of your primary identity. Yahoo! provides a list of pre-fabricated emoticons on the IM window, though the client also has some "hidden" emoticons that creative users may find on their own through keyboard combinations. For example, if you type in :(( you get an extremely weepy emoticon.

Yahoo! Messenger's phone feature is powered by the same company that powers the other major IMs, but there's one key difference. Though it only allows for PC-to-phone calls, there is no time limit on the free phone calls as long as they're within the US. Moreover, you don't have to register again to use this feature, unlike with ICQ. If you're planning on using your PC to make unlimited free phone calls, Yahoo!'s IM is the one to select.

Compared to ICQ, Yahoo!'s 1.8 MB download is paltry. Setup is easy, and integration with the portal is near flawless, although it does place a shortcut on your Start menu without telling you. By default, Yahoo!'s IM does not minimize to the tray, but you can change this in the preferences menu. Make sure that you check the 'Remove the Yahoo Messenger taskbar button' option.

Summary: Yahoo! Messenger gets our pick for the best IM chat and Web portal. The interface is very well organized and customizable to different user tastes. The phone feature is especially compelling because, unlike the other IMs, it does not have a time limit on free phone calls, nor do you have to register a separate account to use it.

Pros: Excellent portal integration; easy to use; free PC-to-phone calls in the US; allows for multiple identities
Cons: Places shortcut on Start menu without informing user