If I run Yahoo Messenger, I can chat with Windows Live Messenger contacts. There are some partnerships already that tie these services together. On occasion, I also use Google's Gmail Chat, Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger, and Facebook Chat. I also use Twitter's direct-messaging ability through TweetDeck.
#AIM MESSENGER SOFTWARE#
I use two primary instant messaging services today: Yahoo Messenger and AIM, both accessed through the multiprotocol Pidgin software rather than the two separate chat applications. The fact that Facebook and AOL had to hammer out a partnership and that AIM had to release new software to take advantage of it reveals just how unpleasant the prevailing system is for users. Specifically, I hate how, unlike e-mail, instant messaging consists of separate islands of non-interoperable services. I can't begrudge Facebook's effort to enrich its members communications' options through its 2008 launch of instant messaging, but I also can't help feeling this is a case of a new-era Internet company making the same missteps as its dot-com 1.0 predecessors.ĪOL Instant Messenger and Facebook Chat now can connect. Maybe I should be happier about this than I am. You can now chat with your friends who are using the Facebook site!" When you are done your Facebook friends will be added to your buddy list. "After you sign into AIM, click the 'Facebook Connect' button at the top of your buddy list to set up Facebook chat.
#AIM MESSENGER DOWNLOAD#
"AIM has teamed up with Facebook, and now you can chat with your Facebook friends-right from AIM!" gushes the AIM beta download site. It's a step forward-but one that also shows how backward Net communications are today. We've updated the story headline but are keeping my original post intact below for the record.įacebook's and AOL's instant-messaging systems now can link together. "By integrating Facebook Chat with your preferred instant messenger, you'll never miss a message when you have to navigate away from Facebook and you'll be in control of how and where you chat with your Facebook friends," said Facebook engineer David Reiss. Google uses XMPP for its chat service, too.įacebook detailed its move at its official blog and its developer site.
What Facebook did-using the open XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol) standard for chat and Facebook Connect for authentication-is a good recipe for making Facebook IM useful from outside Facebook. I have to say I'm impressed with Facebook's move, and not because it makes the crow I'm eating any tastier. In this case at least, the bad instant messaging network habits from the past were not carried over. Instead, it's because Facebook actually did open up its technology, embracing rather than neglecting the approach I called for. Writing off available information this morning-the AIM beta download site and a few news reports-I assumed the Facebook-AOL interoperability was the result of a corporate partnership.
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