Yahoo and MSN Team Up Against AIM! - United Bimmer Community

**komodo** · 10-13-2005, 03:03 AM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4335932.stm

Quote:

Instant message providers hook up

Microsoft and Yahoo are linking up their free instant messaging services, giving the two extra muscle to compete against market leader AOL.

The Yahoo-Microsoft partnership allows users of the two services to exchange messages instantly.

The tie-up is the first major alliance between two of the internet's main providers of instant messaging (IM).

Yahoo chief executive Terry Semal said the deal was "a turning point for the IM industry".

Instant messaging has taken off because it allows people to communicate quickly and seamlessly over the internet.

Some providers also offer other goodies such as video chatting and internet telephone functions.

This is the first time two of the top instant messaging systems have communicated directly with each other. Before now, 'interoperability' was restricted to users within each separate service.

Up until now, AOL has been able to pick and choose its partners, command the royalties it wants.

California-based Microsoft[lol] already has a product allowing business users to communicate with Yahoo and AOL through IM but the facility is not available to ordinary consumers.

"IM interoperability is the right thing for our customers, our businesses and the industry as a whole, and Microsoft is delighted to help lead these efforts with Yahoo," said Microsoft's chief executive Steve Ballmer.

US based AOL - owned by media giant Time Warner - is currently the market leader in instant messaging with a 56% market share, according to research firm Radicati.

But Microsoft and Yahoo's allegiance could be a formidable threat to AOL's dominance.

"Up until now, AOL has been able to pick and choose its partners, command the royalties it wants," said Robert Mahowald, an analyst at research firm IDC.

"They've moved to develop this market at their own pace. This forces them to take a more aggressive stance."

**projal147** · 10-13-2005, 12:02 PM

hmmm interesting... well AIM is superior to yahoo and MSN. my prof made us get MSN so that we can ask him questions outside of class. MSN sucks, but ive found that MSN is popular in europe, the europeans dont like AIM.

AOL im sure isnt too worried.

DEATH2000 · 10-13-2005, 05:52 PM

MSN pwns. that is all

**mrkbik** · 10-13-2005, 05:58 PM

Fuck AOL, ever since I have started using MSN to contact some friends in Canada, I have realized its superiority.

**brien4787** · 10-13-2005, 05:59 PM

honestly, no matter what, they are stupid and have no chance to win over our generation.
why the hell would i go with yahoo/msn crap when i have all my friends on aim...

honestly... i dont know about you guys.. but im not sure if i know anyone that uses something besides aim

**komodo** · 10-13-2005, 06:07 PM

I personally like ICQ the best, but no one uses it anymore

nick_318is · 10-13-2005, 06:09 PM

I wont switch from aim just because all of my friends are on it, and changing would be a hassle. I did notice when I was in china over the summer that they use msn.

**Nics** · 10-16-2005, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEATH2000

MSN pwns. that is all

+1

Use add-ons and its even better.

**Rooz** · 10-16-2005, 11:41 PM

I just hate aol, lol

witeshark · 10-16-2005, 11:45 PM

Maybe we need IRC

**brien4787** · 10-17-2005, 01:54 AM

what is wrong with AOL? haha... i dont know who the hell you are talking to on these msn things... everyone in southern at least is on AOL

i have used aim for 6 years... the ads suck, but that iwhy i have dead aim... i dont see a single problem with dead aim, i love it

Storamin · 10-17-2005, 11:21 AM

trillian > all.

**Rooz** · 10-17-2005, 06:06 PM

DEATH2000 · 10-17-2005, 06:08 PM

dude we need more members to get MSN. then thatd be the shit

**voca** · 10-17-2005, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Storamin

trillian > all.