Enforcing Yahoo Messenger: not the way to go!
Submitted Sat, Feb 09, 2008 at 12:35am GMT
nkobrin 4 posts
nkobrin 4 posts
Tonight I learnt about oDesk from TechCrunch.
I visited the site, liked what I saw and registered. But the next step stopped me and I think for a long time if not forever. Yahoo Messenger: I have to download and install it. What the heck! I use Skype and don't want to use any other messenger.
If it's necessary to have Yahoo Messenger to operate here I'd better live without this site... I believe it's your mistake to enforce it.
Regards,
Nikita Kobrin
English/Russian Translator/Interpreter, Journalist
Skype name: VivaVox
Tel.: +370 (5) 240 77 75
Mobile: +370 (687) 49 194
PO Box 2872
LT-01008 Vilnius
Lithuania
http://nikita.translatorscafe.com
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bbader 4 posts
Like yourself, I was also turned off to oDesk by the whole Yahoo Messenger concept at first. However, Yahoo has a Beta version of Yahoo Messenger available now that runs in your browser. All you need is a Yahoo ID (a Yahoo e-mail account ID will work). No download required. If not for the "Web!Messenger" as they call it, I would have ignored oDesk entirely and gone somewhere else.
jpittenger
I hope they can change the setting to allow you to add whatever chat names you prefer: AIM, GoogleTalk, Yahoo, MSN, ICQ, Skype, etc. Perhaps a whole list of choices, but you only have to have one or two.
I also ran into the problem of a Buyer assuming I used my Yahoo chat ID for email. They sent me an expanded job description, and couldn't understand why I didn't get it. I only had a Yahoo ID in the first place because I'd used it for a personalized homepage a while back. I've never set up the mail account.
Jacqui - Forum Moderator | Help Center | oDesk blog | Contact Support | Vote on Ideas
dmartel 352 posts
While I do have Yahoo chat (and mail) - I also have google chat and skype. I have buyers that require different ones depending on who I'm talking with.
When I do a cover letter I advise the buyers of what my userid is in my cover letter on ALL of my chat ID's and let them decide which one is more appropriate. I also include my yahoo email address, gmail email address and odesk email address.
I don't think that there is an ENFORCED chat record, just that your profile only allows the yahoo address.
D
dlambert 24 posts - United States - Joined Jan 22 2008
I downloaded Yahoo! messenger and had nothing but problems with it. It seriously drained the performance of my PC and I have since uninstalled it. It's the worst IM I've ever used.
Dan
amankov 21 posts - Russia - Joined Oct 13 2006
It's possible to avoid irritating client from Yahoo, here is some descr. about client, which i use:
"
... is an open-source multi protocol instant messenger client for Microsoft Windows...
includes support for AIM, Jabber, ICQ, IRC, MSN, Yahoo, Gadu-Gadu and more...
"
ask google "Miranda", if you interested.
jpittenger
Mac users can a program called Adium as a multi protocol client.
Jacqui - Forum Moderator | Help Center | oDesk blog | Contact Support | Vote on Ideas
mdlevinson 9 posts - United States - Joined Oct 20 2006
We are aware of the issue, it just hasn't made it through the queue yet. Soon we will allow you to display other IM clients in your profile.
Michael
oDesk
ssukhotinsky 429 posts - Ukraine - Joined Jan 12 2006
(the message was deleted by me)
plouis 14 posts
You do realize you can list your MSN contact information correct? Reason I ask is not many people realize that you can use your MSN contact information to chat with Yahoo messenger users. Just be sure to let them know in your cover letter that it is an MSN contact and not a Yahoo contact.