An intense battle is brewing over instant messaging involving two Internet heavyweights.
Last Thursday Microsoft Corp.
belatedly launched MSN Messenger, an instant messaging service that allowed
any Internet user to get a free Hotmail
account and a free America Online Instant
Messaging account through MSN or AOL.
On the first day of its release, MSN sources reported that 200,000 users
downloaded the software. Almost immediately, AOL electronically blocked
Microsoft’s instant messaging program. AOL criticized Microsoft’s MSN
Messenger, stating that it poses a security threat to AOL users.
MSN technicians quickly posted a revised version of messaging software that worked around the initial AOL barrier. AOL retaliated with another block to outside access on Friday. By Saturday afternoon, Microsoft’s latest revision of the instant messaging software was getting around the AOL blockade again.
On Sunday, MSN technicians posted their most recent update concerning the
tug-of-war for access to AOL servers at their MSN website. The notice
informed MSN users that AOL has one again made changes to their AIM service
that impacted MSN’s ability to communicate with AOL server contacts.
The notice informed MSN messenger users that the company remains firmly
behind open standard access for all instant notification services and that
another fix would be available soon.
“We are committed to providing you the interoperability you have asked for,
and are updating MSN Messenger Service to address these issues,” the
technical update reads. “We will post information about the new version
when it is available.”
Many in the computer industry have asked AOL to make its instant messaging
technology an open standard which would allow other companies to write
software that would interface with the AOL network.
AOL spokesman Tricia Primrose said their goal in attaining a workable
solution for interoperable instant messaging is no different than MSN.
“From where we sit, we think Internet messaging will be completely open and
interconnected. The question is how the industry will overcome the
technical hurdles of coordinating access without risking consumer security
and privacy issues.”
Primrose added AOL has contacted MSN to work out a long-term solution
for instant messaging access in lieu of developing an industry standard for all service providers.
About two years ago, Microsoft and about 40 companies proposed that the Internet Engineering Task Force affirm an
open standard for instant messaging software. AOL did not partake in the
discussions and forged ahead to develop their proprietary version of AIM
software.
In addition to blocking MSN instant message services, Yahoo Inc. found that their once open
access to AIM users had also been blocked. Interestingly, MSN Messenger the does not allow communication with Yahoo Messenger.
Meanwhile, Prodigy which offers a
similar service, has called for a meeting of Internet companies to create
an open standard that would let anyone send instant messages to anybody
else, regardless of what online service they use.
Prodigy developed its own instant messaging service based on technology
released by AOL, but after two months of use AOL blocked Prodigy members
from sending the instant messages to AOL members.
Bill Kirkner, Prodigy chief technology officer, said AOL has violated the
spirit of open access for Internet users.
“AOL began denying access to a server established by AOL for the purpose of
use by third parties, thus preventing PIM users from communicating with
users of AIM. This action was taken in clear violation of the spirit of
openness created by AOL’s publication of the TOC protocol.”
Kirkner added that AOL has no intention of opening access to their instant message servers anytime soon.
“For the last month, Prodigy has made numerous efforts to establish an
agreement with AOL that would allow Prodigy members to continue to use PIM
to communicate with users on the AOL AIM service, “Kirkner said. “AOL
notified Prodigy that a decision had been made at their most executive
levels to prevent users from accessing AIM through any mechanism other than
AOL’s proprietary AIM client software.”
Kirkner said that AOL’s actions are an affront to the entire industry that has greatly benefited from a shared access mentality of open collaboration.
“AOL’s actions are in clear violation of the accepted industry practice for developing standards for new Internet applications. AOL’s behavior, which may seem appropriate for proprietary services, is not appropriate in the environment of the Internet.”
At the moment, instant messaging is a debacle of denied access among users outside of their respective provider.
