When you combine these features, don't you essentially get the same functionality as e-mail? This leads me to believe that we might benefit from a system that supports both synchronous (such as instant messaging) and asynchronous (such as e-mail) communication. Do we really need two different applications for these two methods of communication?
Consider the main information that is transferred via an e-mail: - Timestamp - Sender - Recipient(s) - Subject - Body (including text, images, other media formats, arbitrary files)
Now compare this with the main information that is transferred via an instant message: - Timestamp - Sender - Recipient; however, on certain instant messaging systems, multiple recipients are permitted (for example, AIM allows you to create a chat room, and MSN messenger allows you to add additional contacts to an existing chat) - Body; while this is usually just text, I don't see any reason why users should not be permitted to offer to send arbitrary files ("attachments") in-line (such as in MSN messenger) or images in-line (such as using when using direct connect in AIM)
To me, it seems like these lists of information are so similar that there doesn't really seem to be any reason why one application should not be able to deal with both types. There is actually an application created within IBM called NotesBuddy that claims to integrate e-mail and instant messaging (http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/notesbuddy/ [ibm.com]), but in reality, the integration isn't entirely seamless. The application also faces several usability problems (in my opinion).
I think part of the problem with the implementation of NotesBuddy may be that it tries to merge two existing services instead of providing a solution that is designed from the ground up. ICQ's implementation is perhaps more usable because the integration of synchronous and asynchronous communication is more transparent. However, I find its content limitations (just text) to be restrictive.
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When you combine these features, don't you essentially get the same functionality as e-mail? This leads me to believe that we might benefit from a system that supports both synchronous (such as instant messaging) and asynchronous (such as e-mail) communication. Do we really need two different applications for these two methods of communication?
Consider the main information that is transferred via an e-mail:
- Timestamp
- Sender
- Recipient(s)
- Subject
- Body (including text, images, other media formats, arbitrary files)
Now compare this with the main information that is transferred via an instant message:
- Timestamp
- Sender
- Recipient; however, on certain instant messaging systems, multiple recipients are permitted (for example, AIM allows you to create a chat room, and MSN messenger allows you to add additional contacts to an existing chat)
- Body; while this is usually just text, I don't see any reason why users should not be permitted to offer to send arbitrary files ("attachments") in-line (such as in MSN messenger) or images in-line (such as using when using direct connect in AIM)
To me, it seems like these lists of information are so similar that there doesn't really seem to be any reason why one application should not be able to deal with both types. There is actually an application created within IBM called NotesBuddy that claims to integrate e-mail and instant messaging (http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/notesbuddy/ [ibm.com]), but in reality, the integration isn't entirely seamless. The application also faces several usability problems (in my opinion).
I think part of the problem with the implementation of NotesBuddy may be that it tries to merge two existing services instead of providing a solution that is designed from the ground up. ICQ's implementation is perhaps more usable because the integration of synchronous and asynchronous communication is more transparent. However, I find its content limitations (just text) to be restrictive.