AOL Not Really Working Towards IM Compatibility
from the it-was-all-a-big-lie dept
Not that this should be a surprise to just about anyone, but a new filing by AOL shows that they really don't care about interoperability between IM clients. This isn't a surprise, of course, but it's yet another reminder of how silly they're being. Their users want interoperability. It makes sense to offer interoperability. Despite what they say, it's not a huge challenge to offer interoperability. They think, however, that offering interoperability will mean that fewer people will be subject to the ads they shove down the pipes at AIM users. The reality is that it's opened up an opportunity for Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger to add a bunch of new features that are letting them catch up to AIM. It also means that users are pissed off that they need two or three or more IM clients just to talk to their friends. By not allowing interoperability, AOL is actually holding back the growth of instant messaging.
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Clients
I mean there are quite a few clients that support all of the networks (I think Jabber does and I'm sure its not the only one.)
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Re: Clients
While some other clients support AIM and ICQ briefly, it is an on-going battle, and not at all reliable. AOL actively works to block other client access (usually claiming security restrictions). Usually access is a matter of days. And while occasionally a client takes an extended shot at keeping ahead of AOL, most of the attempts seem to die down after a few months (although this comes and goes)...
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