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(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Mike Masnick

Wed, Sep 17th 2003 1:20am





Now Yahoo To Block Trillian And Other Third Party IM Apps

from the you're-going-the-wrong-way... dept

Well here's a trend that's not particularly encouraging. Last month we wrote about how Microsoft was getting ready to block third party IM apps from connecting to their service. Instead of using that as an opportunity to trumpet the fact that they were "open", Yahoo is going in the wrong direction and planning to block off third party IM apps themselves. This is why I kept saying that third party apps like Trillian are not the answer to interoperability for instant messaging. Trillian only worked via the good graces of the big three IM offerings - and now that's going away. By now, the various companies offering the instant messaging (AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo) should know that there's value in expanding their network and opening up the IM platform (someone should show them how email works). However, they still don't get it, and seem stuck on this walled garden idea - which actively lessens the value of their network. Walled gardens don't benefit the users. They don't benefit the IM companies because they make their network less valuable and create less incentive to join. So, why is it being done? The companies claim it's for "security' - but the reality is that they think that in blocking off users, they'll be able to sell more ads and premium services. However, by actively decreasing the value of their current offerings, it means plenty of people will be even less likely to participate.

6 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  1.  
    identicon
    AMetamorphosis, Sep 17th, 2003 @ 6:40am

    Trillian WAS the answer ...

    Mike, Trillian WAS the answer.
    It worked.
    It made sense.
    Less communication interoperability is a step back wards caused by Microsoft & Yahoo -- The problem.
    I wonder how soon until I'll have to go back to a turn crank-car because some manufacture spews forth that they own the patent on automobile ignitions ?

     

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  2.  
    identicon
    Boogieman, Sep 17th, 2003 @ 8:00am

    Open Source not necessarily the answer

    Open source IM services won't be the answer also. Users will take it as another IM software they have to download, install and then get their friends to use. You still don't get to communicate to all the IM services out there. The downside to an open source IM service would be that AOL could have their client connect with the open source server, but block the open source client from their own servers.

     

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  3.  
    identicon
    www.jabber.org, Sep 17th, 2003 @ 8:45am

    www.jabber.org

    Trillian Pro 2 looks great, but if MSN/Y no longer work, it's a good thing they added the open source Jabber support, or else we'd be stuck with just AIM/ICQ ;o)

     

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  4.  
    identicon
    Deebster, Sep 26th, 2003 @ 7:09am

    Incorrect reporting re: MSN

    MSN isn't cuttting off third party apps - merely limiting access to the current protocol.
    This will only block IMs that insist on using the insecure, outdated and deprecated protocol. (This also applies to old versions of MSNM)
    Trillian v2 works fine with the latest msn protocol, thanks to Microsoft.
    (I don't understand why MS gets so much flak when you look at companies like Verisign who are a real shower of c*nts)

     

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  5.  
    identicon
    Clone, Sep 26th, 2003 @ 9:02am

    Trillian doesn't work for yahoo from Sept 25.

    Trillian doesn't work for yahoo from Sept 25.

    Got a fatal error. The trillian crashed.

     

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  6.  
    identicon
    Mike Callahan, Sep 26th, 2003 @ 9:10am

    Re: Trillian doesn't work for yahoo from Sept 25.

    Yeah, this sucks! When is this going to be fixed! I have lots of Yahoo Messenger contacts. Using Yahoo Web Messenger until fixed. I refuse to download/install Yahoo Messenger client!!
    Mike :)

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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