why don't IM companies just make their clients "see" other networks?

[dpopiz]

for example, why doesn't Yahoo just make YIM like Trillian or something, by allowing it to communicate with people on AIM or MSN or whatever?

They could still have you sign up for a YIM account. And they wouldn't have to include all the proprietary features of the other clients. It could just be like Trillian, where each network's client just supports the bare minimum for basic communication with the other networks.

 

[jlee]

Because we'd still use Trillian? 😛

I dunno..

 

[Malak]

That would require all the networks to work together. Yahoo can't just do it itself. Trillian works because you don't login to Trillian. You still login to each network.

 

Why arn't a whole bunch of other things standardized?
Because they arn't there yet, or may never be due to the nature of competition.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Probably legal issues too.

 

[trmiv]

Because that would made sense.

 

[dpopiz]

Originally posted by: trmiv
Because that would make sense.

winnar

 

[udonoogen]

msn tried it, aol kept blocking them.

 

[Goosemaster]

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[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: udonoogen
msn tried it, aol kept blocking them.

Really?

I've used MSN Messenger since version 2.something and I don't remember any official support for AOL networks.

 

[udonoogen]

Originally posted by: DannyBoy

Originally posted by: udonoogen
msn tried it, aol kept blocking them.

Really?

I've used MSN Messenger since version 2.something and I don't remember any official support for AOL networks.

yeah it was back in the day... a big cat and mouse game between AIM and MSN. kind of the way it is with trillian nowadays. msn gave up after a month or two.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ofnote/08-11usatoday.asp

http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9908/24/truce.idg/
But the saga took some ugly turns. AOL accused Microsoft of illegally hacking into its AOL Instant Messenger system to ensure interoperability. AOL blocked access to AIM users by MSN Messenger users and then proposed a "business arrangement."

....

Today's decision on interoperability for now sends to the back burner a dispute with AOL that boiled over this summer amid accusations that Microsoft was "hacking" AOL's system.

AOL reacted favorably to today's announcement.

"We're happy that Microsoft has decided to respect the privacy and security of our network and our AIM users," said Tricia Primrose, an AOL spokeswoman. "We look forward to continuing to work with the industry on the issue of instant messaging."

Edit: clarification cuz i posted two links to the same article. one small note ... AOL promised to work with the industry in creating interoperability 5.5 years ago... this article was posted August 24, 1999. theyre as close to interoperability now as they were back then. aol just wanted and still wants to keep its user base. its the only thing they got going for them now that no one is on dialup.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Because modifying code can be a pain in the ass. It'd take them years just to get the naming conventions for functions standardized...

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: AyashiKaibutsu
Because modifying code can be a pain in the ass. It'd take them years just to get the naming conventions for functions standardized...

urgh..that has nothing to do with it...if pwople can circumvent their client, they end up circumventing their advertisers...simple as that....