ICQ and AIM are also "technically" very different. ICQ uses client-server UDP-based communication, while it uses constant TCP connections with other clients for exchanging instant messages. OTOH AIM routes all messages through the server (security?!).
The contact list in ICQ is stored at the client-end (so no roaming access, you have to re-build your contact list if you migrate). Most other IM service providers (MSN, Y!, AOL) use a server-based contact list.
There are indeed loads of other such technical differences which make me feel that getting ICQ and AIM to interoperate will be quite a task. The good thing to do is to build a common IM protocol (and that's just what IETF is at). That will break the IM monopoly and there will loads of IM service providers all over the world (like Email).
The IETF is already working on a common protocol for all instant messaging systems. Like we have the email protocols. And IMUnified (http://www.imunified.org/) is working towards implementing a standard protocol. Yeah, this org. has y!, ms, and other major players, so we can expect these prop. co.s to implement a common protocol and make it an open standard.
Slashdot Mirror
The contact list in ICQ is stored at the client-end (so no roaming access, you have to re-build your contact list if you migrate). Most other IM service providers (MSN, Y!, AOL) use a server-based contact list.
There are indeed loads of other such technical differences which make me feel that getting ICQ and AIM to interoperate will be quite a task. The good thing to do is to build a common IM protocol (and that's just what IETF is at). That will break the IM monopoly and there will loads of IM service providers all over the world (like Email).
Interesting sites -
ICQ Protocol
IM Unified
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#define __mjplusplus
The IETF is already working on a common protocol for all instant messaging systems. Like we have the email protocols. And IMUnified (http://www.imunified.org/) is working towards implementing a standard protocol. Yeah, this org. has y!, ms, and other major players, so we can expect these prop. co.s to implement a common protocol and make it an open standard.
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#define __mjplusplus