Instant messaging

Instant messaging is the act of instantly communicating between two or more people over a network such as the Internet.

Cooperation

There have been several attempts to create a unified standard for instant messaging: IETF's SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and SIMPLE (SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leverage), APEX (Application Exchange), Prim (Presence and Instant Messaging Protocol), the open XML-based XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), more commonly known as Jabber and OMA's (Open Mobile Alliance) IMPS (Instant Messaging and Presence Service) created specifically for mobile devices.

Related Topics:
IETF - Session Initiation Protocol - SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leverage - Application Exchange - Presence and Instant Messaging Protocol - Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol - Jabber - Open Mobile Alliance

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Most attempts at creating a unified standard for the major IM providers (AOL, Yahoo! and Microsoft) have failed and each continues to use its own proprietary protocol.

Related Topics:
AOL - Yahoo! - Microsoft

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Some instant messaging applications attempt to combine the many disparate protocols into a single, unified client. Examples include Trillian, Zango Messenger, Gaim, Fire, Proteus, Miranda IM, Adium, Everybuddy, Ayttm, Kopete, Centericq, BitlBee, and IMVITE. The Jabber/XMPP protocol takes a somewhat different approach, moving the task of communicating to the other services to the server in an attempt at allowing clients to be simpler and intrinsically interoperate with other networks, while using fewer resources. In practice, this does not work well, since the server modules tend to be unreliable and very limited with respect to the capabilities of the IM systems they connect to.

Related Topics:
Trillian - Zango Messenger - Gaim - Fire - Proteus - Miranda IM - Adium - Everybuddy - Ayttm - Kopete - Centericq - BitlBee - IMVITE - Jabber

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The IMPS standard mentioned earlier is part of a mobile telephone industry initiative to bring instant messaging to mobile phones. The Open Mobile Alliance took over the standards, originally called Wireless Village, in November 2002. There is a free IMPS-based service called Yamigo which allows instant messaging on mobile phones even if your carrier doesn't provide its own Wireless Village service. Yamigo acts as a standalone instant messaging network, but can also integrate with ICQ, AIM, MSN, Yahoo and Jabber.

Related Topics:
Open Mobile Alliance - Wireless Village - Yamigo

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Some approaches, such as that adopted by the Sonork enterprise IM software or the Jabber/XMPP network, allow organizations to create their own private instant messaging network by enabling them to limit access to the server (often with the IM network entirely behind their firewall) and administer user permissions. Typically, a dedicated corporate IM server has several advantages such as pre-populated contact lists, integrated authentication, and better security and privacy.

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Some networks have made changes to prevent them from being utilized by such multi-network IM clients. For example, Trillian had to release several revisions and patches to allow its users to access the MSN, AOL, and Yahoo networks, after changes were made to these networks. The major IM providers typically cite the need for formal agreements as well as security concerns as reasons for making these changes.

Related Topics:
Patches - Security

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