IM interoperability: not just a dream anymore
Marshall Kirkpatrick
65 comments »
Microsoft just announced that today marks the first day that interoperability between its IM client and Yahoo! Messenger with Voice is available. Microsoft says this is the first time two distinct, global consumer brands have made their IM clients interoperable. The combined user base of nearly 350 million accounts is the world’s largest, the company says. IM interoperability took so long that I thought it was never going to happen.
Windows Live Messenger is the newest version of MSN Messenger. Yahoo! Messenger with Voice is the newest IM client from Yahoo!
The lack of interoperability across IM systems has long been a primary complaint from users. Services like Trillian for Windows or Adium for Mac have helped bridge the gaps between services, but at a loss of the unique interfaces and some features from one system or another that users may prefer.
Today’s news should make IM much more valuable for dedicated users of both systems. It’s good to see that though both companies have been working hard at developing value added interfaces for their own messaging services - they aren’t so afraid of losing customers that they pretend other IM clients don’t exist.



July 12th, 2006 at 6:01 pm
July 12th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
July 12th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
July 12th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
July 12th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
July 12th, 2006 at 10:57 pm
July 12th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
July 12th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
July 13th, 2006 at 1:44 am
July 13th, 2006 at 3:56 am
July 13th, 2006 at 7:59 am
July 13th, 2006 at 8:04 am
July 13th, 2006 at 8:56 am
July 13th, 2006 at 10:35 am
July 13th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
July 13th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
July 13th, 2006 at 4:41 pm
July 13th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
July 14th, 2006 at 12:00 am
July 14th, 2006 at 7:29 am
July 17th, 2006 at 8:32 am
July 17th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
July 25th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
August 14th, 2006 at 6:15 am
August 17th, 2006 at 9:14 am
August 18th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
August 26th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
August 27th, 2006 at 12:49 am
August 27th, 2006 at 5:05 am
September 10th, 2006 at 7:51 am
September 30th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
October 9th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
October 10th, 2006 at 7:07 am
November 24th, 2006 at 10:25 am
November 26th, 2006 at 1:06 am
December 6th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
December 15th, 2006 at 3:10 am
January 29th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
March 5th, 2008 at 11:51 am