AOL-TW Merger: FCC May Require AIM Compatibility

nicadic writes: "The FCC may add a requirement to the AOL-Time Warner merger agreement that would force AOL to make its IM system interoperable with at least one other provider of instant messaging services. Have a look at the full story here (www.washingtonpost.com)" With that small concession, it looks like the merger is likely to go through.

Comments

Slashdot blurbs considered harmful

[pb]

Actually, unlike the misleading /. blurb, this would involve the creation of an "industry standard" that AOL-TW would have to adopt.

Sounds good to me. I mean, really, how many stupid datagram headers can you have anyhow? I implemented tftp recently, and that wasn't hard at all.

I say we do this the old-fashioned way. Draft a standard, and write an RFC. We shouldn't need more than 5-7 actual commands anyhow.
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pb Reply or e-mail; don't vaguely moderate.

Standards are good.

[Lonesmurf]

So what? Let me build a tiny scenario here for you: I have buddies from all over the world using all sorts of different programs to chat on all sorts of platforms. In order for me to see who's online and whatnot, I have to have 3 or 4 applications open and build 3-4 databases to keep up with everyone.

Does this strike anyone a fucking stupid?

I want a universal IM client that can connect to ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, MSN, etc. and let me chat with whomever I want. Now, not to limit progress, I wouldn't mind if I could only use some special features with those other users using the same service as me (ICQ, etc.) .. but passing text messages between clients using a standardized protocol can't be *that* bloody hard.

Can you imagine if phone companies were like that? You'd need a different, special phone and phone line for anyone that wasn't the same service as you. No way that would happen or would be tolerated (although I'm sure that the phone companies would love it, captive audience and all that).

Rami
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Heh..

[Johnny Starrock]

THIS JUST IN: AOL announces compatability with ICQ. =)

Interoperability could have been achieved w/o AOL

[Throw Away Account]

Absolutely nothing stopped any other company from making their servers accessible to AIM. The only "interoperability" problem was other chat providers demanding to be able to use the AOL IM servers and userbase without giving even ad revenue back to AOL. They wanted a larger network of users than AIM had that would be mostly paid for by AOL; a double win for the non-AOL side and a double loss for AOL.

So, now MS and Yahoo are going to be rewarded for their attempts to hijack AOL servers with an FCC mandate for AOL to open up its userbase, giving them far greater benefits than AOL will recieve by having access to either the MS or Yahoo chat userbases. Aren't Yahoo and Microsoft big enough to stand on their own two feet?