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Introducing Yahoo! Messenger

What Is...Installing Messenger and Signing InConnecting With Your FriendsShowing Your Online StatusGetting Started

Showing Your Online Status

Just as you see a contact’s status on your Messenger List, others see your status on their Messenger Lists. After signing into Yahoo! Messenger, you’re online, but you may not always be available for communication. You might be away from your desk or on the phone. Let your contacts know your availability by setting an online status to indicate your current accessibility.

The Status menu

This task shows you how to:


 

Here’s How

To select a system-defined status setting:

  1. In your Messenger window, display the status menu in one of the following ways:

    • Click your name in the status area.

      Left-click your name in the status area.

    • RIght-click the icon to the left of the status bar.

      Right-click the icon in the status area.

    • Select My Status from the Messenger menu.

  2. Select a status from the menu.

    Select a status from the status menu.

    Tip: To appear offline to all of your contacts, select Invisible to Everyone.

    Your new status displays next to your name in the status area.

    The status area displays the selected status.

 

To write your own status:

  1. Display the status menu as shown above.

  2. Select New Status Message from the status menu.

    Select New Status Message from the status menu.

    The Enter your status message window opens.

  3. In the Enter your status message window, enter a status message, and if appropriate, check the Show Busy Icon checkbox, then click the OK button.

    Enter a status, then click the OK button.

    Your new status displays next to your name in the status area of your Messenger List.

    The status area displays the entered status.

    Your status appears next to your name on the Messenger Lists of your contacts.

    Your status displays next to your name in other people's Messenger Lists.

    The status menu updates to display your status as a menu option.

    The status menu displays your status option.

    Tip: You can write a status message that points to your favorite web page. In the Enter your status message window, type the URL followed by a message.

    Type the URL and your message.

    Your contacts will see your status message in their Messenger Lists as a link to the web page.

    Your contacts see your message as a link to the web page.

 

What’s Next

You can also select the Open Talk status. The Open Talk feature allows any of your contacts to call your computer (one at a time) without needing you to accept. Once connected, your friend will be able to hear all conversations and sounds near your PC. To set up Open Talk, select the Open Talk! option from the status menu. Find out more in the Using Open Talk tutorial.

Select the Open Talk! option.

Now that you have installed, signed in to Yahoo! Messenger and connected with your friends, you can get started using all of the exciting features in Yahoo! Messenger. To become familiar with all of Yahoo! Messenger’s features, take a look at the Getting Started task.

 
 
 

Words to Know

  • Contact: a person with whom you interact; someone to whom you might want to send an email or instant message.
  • Messenger List: a list of coworkers, friends, family, and associates who also use Messenger.
  • Open Talk: a Messenger feature that lets your friends connect a PC-to-PC call to your PC without waiting for you to accept the call.