Continuing from the previous (part one) Yahoo Messenger section, in this final (part two) section I am going to show you how to communicate with another person using yahoo messenger. If you are going use yahoo messenger from inside an Internet Cafe for example you should find it is already set up with a webcam and headset and therefore only need a yahoo e-mail account User Name & Password for the examples in this section.

When you have your yahoo messenger set up (see previous section if need be) begin a chit-chat session (telephone/webcam call) by clicking on the Yahoo Messenger icon, located on the desktop or taskbar. This will open the Messenger window (Fig 4.1 below).

Fig 4.0  Click on the Yahoo Messenger icon to continue

When the Messenger window appears you need to enter your Yahoo ID. This consists of the User Name & Password you used when signing up for a Yahoo E-Mail Account. In this example my Yahoo ID is computer.lessons. After entering your password you may then want to put a tick next to the option REMEMBER MY ID & PASSWORD before clicking on the SIGN IN button. This will save your user name and password details so that next time around you only need to click on the SIGN IN button. This is only ideal when you can trust others with your computer/laptop, or when you are the only computer/laptop user, of course. Never tick that option if you are inside an internet cafe for example.

Fig 4.1  Enter your User Name & Password and then click on SIGN IN

Fig 4.2  You are now being signed in to Yahoo Messenger

After clicking on the SIGN IN button and being signed in to Yahoo Messenger you will then see which members of your yahoo messenger list (contacts list) are currently online and signed in to their yahoo messenger (denoted by a Yellow dot). In this example I only have one friend in my messenger list (jchynes2009) and fortunately he is currently online and signed into his yahoo messenger. I say fortunately, but in reality I rang him beforehand so that I could set up this section of course. And you may have to do the same before communicating with members in your messenger list - Phone them beforehand, if necessary, to let them know you will be using yahoo messenger shortly or at a certain time.

With a member (contact) identified as being online the next thing to do is double click on their Yahoo ID (User Name), which will then bring up the Conversation window (Fig 4.4).

Fig 4.3  Double click on the Contact Name (member) you want to communicate with




Fig 4.4  Click on the SEND button to send the text message

The Conversation window allows you to communicate with your contact (member) by sending them text messages and/or by using your webcam and microphone. To send a text message simply type a message inside the TEXT MESSAGE edit box and then click on the SEND button to send it (above). Your text message will then be sent to your contact's yahoo messenger and then displayed inside their conversation window as well as being displayed in your own conversation window (below), so that you can see what each other has written. As your text messages build up and get longer scroll bars will appear inside the main display/text window so that you can scroll through your conversation to see what was typed earlier for example.

Fig 4.5  jchynes2009 is typing something

Fig 4.6  jchynes2009 has sent me the message he was typing

As you can see from the above, as a conversation builds up you can see what each other has said. In this example computer.lessons (me) can see what jchynes2009 (John Hynes) has typed and vice versa. The beauty of text messaging, when it is most appreciated, is when you lose your microphone and/or webcam signal - You can continue your conversation using text messages. A text message can also be used to give instructions to someone who does not know how to use yahoo messenger with a webcam for example - You could connect to them like above and then send them text messages on how to set up their webcam and headset. You could even use yahoo messenger to tell them how to fix computer problems. So text messaging does have its uses.

If you want to invite a contact to view your WebCam and therefore have the ability to see you live click on the little WEBCAM icon, just above the SEND button, to start the webcam connection service.

Fig 4.7  Click on the WEBCAM icon to invite a contact to view your live webcam footage

Clicking on the WEBCAM icon (above) will bring up a warning/notice (below), that may appear again, which you should read before clicking on its OK button to continue. If you do not want to see the warning/message again put a tick next to its DO NOT SHOW THIS WARNING AGAIN option before clicking on its OK button.

Fig 4.8  Click on the OK button to continue

When the warning/notice window is closed the yahoo webcam connection service will attempt to broadcast your webcam footage inside your contact's yahoo messenger. If the connection is successful your contact will first be asked to ACCEPT your webcam footage before they can actually see you (your live, broadcasting, webcam footage). A separate WebCam window will open on their end, and on your end as well, so that both of you can see you live.

Fig 4.9  jchynes2009 has ACCEPTED my invitation for him to view my live webcam footage




Fig 4.10  Don't be scared! It's only me!

As you can see in Fig 4.10 above, I am broadcasting to one viewer (jchynes2009) - Look at the bottom-left corner of the WebCam window. When jchynes2009 then invites me to view his live webcam footage I, like him with my invite, receive the following invitation.....which I accept of course by clicking on the ACCEPT link.

Fig 4.11  Click on the ACCEPT link to accept a contact's invitation to view their live webcam footage




Fig 4.12  Be scared! It's John Hynes!

So with the ability to see a contact and type them messages the only thing left to do is call (telephone) them by clicking on the CALL button. Doing so will make your contact's yahoo messenger ring. As soon as they hear the ringing tone they should accept your call by clicking on their ACCEPT button. As this ringing is going on, and thereafter, both your conversation window and your contact's conversation window will change (at the top) to accommodate the extra call icons and buttons (such as the BELL icon, ACCEPT CALL button and END CALL button).

In Fig 4.13 below I am going to call jchynes2009 by clicking on my CALL button. Once he accepts my call I will then, obviously, talk to him before ending the call (Fig 4.14).

Fig 4.13  Click on the CALL button to call a contact and have a voice conversation with them




Fig 4.14  Click on the END CALL button to end your voice conversation

In Fig 4.15 below I am receiving a call from jchynes2009 and will therefore click on my ACCEPT button to accept his call. When we have finished talking, just like a normal telephone call, one of us clicks on our END CALL button to stop the call/conversation.

Fig 4.15  Click on the ACCEPT button to accept a call from your contact

So that is how you make FREE Calls to someone without using your normally telephone line. As said, the call is going through your Broadband Line and is therefore covered by your monthly broadband usage. So technically it is not free because you are paying a monthly telephone bill to your supplier of course, but the point is you will not be charged any extra for making calls through yahoo messenger.

Obviously, Fair Usage and Bandwidth Allowance applies. Meaning, your webcam footage uses bandwidth which you have a limit of each month (i.e. 40 GigaBytes a month) with your supplier. Although your webcam conversations should never overflow your monthly bandwidth allowance, do take into consideration that other things use up your bandwidth as well (such as watching YouTube clips, downloading music and surfing the internet in general). And even though calls made through yahoo messenger are technically free this should not mean you are talking for more than two hours at a time to one contact for example.

This section has only outlined one contact communicating with one other contact, but the reality is yahoo messenger (and other messengers) allows you to have multi-contact conversations. In other words, you can invite more than one person into a conversation. Just double click on each contact's name and invite them to the party!

Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.  As stated here by the Microsoft Corporation.