IM consolidation begins
Here's good news - Yahoo and MS are working together on IM, allowing their networks to talk. At present, the various IM systems are like independent, unconnected phone networks - a set of isolated silos, with the AIM one being the biggest. Maybe this will generate enough momentum that AOL will be forced to respond. Let's hope so.
Comments
does it matter, given Trillian, et al. ? given Jabber?
[Lex Spoon] October 13, 2005 17:41:54.027
Certainly interesting.
Does it matter, though, given tools like Trillian? So long as there are less than a dozen or so networks, it is no problem to bhave multiple accounts and use a multi-network client.
Additionally, systems like Jabber can potentially allow people to appear to have an account on multiple networks even though they think of themselves as simply "Jabber" users. It does this via gateways that translate between the two networks. It can be made especially smooth if gateways offer to create accounts for you.
Anyway, I certainly like the power setup better if we think about solutions that don't require having big corporations cooperate. AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, etc. don't want to connect with outside networks? Too bad. Clients like Trillian, and networks like Jabber, can treat these attempts as damage and route around them.