NEW DELHI:It will be a sheer case of nostalgia for the early users of Internet from Wednesday, as they won’t be able to use one of the earliest instant messaging platforms - Yahoo Messenger. Web service provider Yahoo is pulling the plug on its messenger service on Tuesday after a 20-year run in which the platform once engaged over 122 million users and random strangers to find a connection in its ‘Chat Rooms’.
The platform launched on March 9, 1998, as Yahoo Pager and later rebranded as Yahoo Messenger in 1999, witnessed an astonishing growth throughout the 2000s when Internet was reaching to new audience.
However, by the end of the last decade, brewing competition from new-age players such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram, the oldest player starting losing its appeal among netizens. Yahoo, which was acquired by telecom giant Verizon in 2017, did try to reinvent service multiple times, but couldn’t make an impact. Yahoo Messenger now joins the rank of other discontinued platforms such as Orkut, MSN Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger.
The reason why Yahoo Messenger will hold a unique place among people is because of its Chat Room feature, which literally helped in mushrooming of cyber cafes throughout the country. The Chat Rooms had a unique capability of connecting strangers living miles apart at a time when Internet was connected through dial-up networks (we aren’t talking about speed and how expensive it was).
The Chat Rooms also gave birth to one of the most popular acronym of that time, ie, ASL (Age, Sex and Location), the decision-maker when it comes to striking a conversation. Yahoo Chat Rooms was stopped in 2012.
Another first-on feature the Messenger allowed its users was to make video calls. Even though the VGS cameras and tepid Internet speed provided only a blurred image of the person on the other side, the joy of watching the other live brought immense joy. Messenger also introduced people to the world of emojis and stickers.
Users still sticking to the service will now be redirected to a new service called Squirrel, an instant messaging app, which is seen as a replacement for Messenger. What’s important is that users will be given six months to download their chat history.
Pulling the plug
■ Launched on March 9, 1998, as Yahoo Pager. It was later rebranded as Yahoo Messenger in 1999
■ In 2009, Yahoo Messenger had 122 million users
■ Users will be given six months to download their chat history before the plug is pulled on Yahoo Messenger
■ Other discontinued online messaging platforms include Orkut (2014), MSN Messenger (2014), AOL Instant Messenger (2017)