Instant Messaging Gains in Workplace

As the IM becomes more pervasive, all four of these corporations may be forced to work together, simply to avoid fragmenting the market for everyone. Currently, third-party programs such as Trillian allow users to chat with individuals using any of the advertising-based IM programs, as well as ICQ (an alternative to AOL Instant Messenger owned by AOL’s parent company Time Warner).

But integration will likely be inevitable for IM clients. Email and the Web would never have gained their current level of popularity if proprietary standards had created limited access. Likewise, IM will probably stumble if interoperability isn’t addressed soon.

Whether the primary players will rise to the occasion is the question. Individuals — especially the 20-somethings who are accustomed to being connected to family, friends and co-workers whenever they are online — will demand it.  Failing to adopt a universal standard may threaten the advertising revenue that supports commerical IM software; and ultimately, it may drive users to the open-source Jabber, which doesn’t force users to view advertising.