I read with interest a post on Angsuman’s site this morning that Yahoo!’s new Instant Messanger application, when installed using the default settings on your system, will change your systems settings and install various applications on your hard drive unasked.

A News.com article on the new release lists the changes:

By accepting Yahoo’s “typical” installation of YIM with Voice, it will also download Yahoo’s Search Toolbar with anti-spyware and anti-pop-up software, desktop and system tray shortcuts, as well as Yahoo Extras, which will insert Yahoo links into the Internet Explorer browser. The IM client also contains “live words,” which will automatically show an icon when the user highlights words online and then hyperlink to Yahoo search results, definitions or translation tools. Finally, the installation will alter the users’ home page and auto-search functions to point to Yahoo by default.

To avoid these changes, users must actively choose the “custom” installation and uncheck five boxes.

If you use Yahoo!’s Instant Messanger, you can follow Angsuman’s advice and:

Use Google or any other IM for IM needs. Request your friends to do so. Otherwise you can use any Jabber clients like neos.

Use Skype instead of Yahoo’s voice services

This, coming hot on the heels of Ben Edelman’s post outing Yahoo for funding Spyware, and Yahoo!’s part in the jailing of a Chinese journalist paints an appalling picture of Yahoo! corporate ethics.

Just when I thought Yahoo! was getting back in the game!