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AOL Says Uncle (Sort Of)
Maybe one week of really bad press was enough for America Online. On
Thursday, AOL announced that it had invited some industry chiefs -
including Apple Computer's Steve Jobs and RealNetworks' Rob Glaser - to
come up with standards on instant messaging. (Memo to AOL: CEOs usually
don't write tech standards.)
In Friday's Washington Post, Rajiv Chandrasekaran reported that, after a
week of blocking Microsoft and Yahoo from its system, AOL is ready to
work with the world on an open standard for instant messaging. AOL
dominates the niche with its Instant Messenger and ICQ messaging
software. And what's the quickest way to an open standard? Send it off
to a committee.
Noticeably absent from the invitee list in the Post was anyone from
Microsoft, but Chandrasekaran quoted AOL saying they were "welcome to
participate." Microsoft saw right through this ploy. (They may have
recognized it from their own playbook.) Microsoft called the committee
idea a stalling tactic and said the fastest way to a standard might be
to stop blocking its access to AOL's system. In fact, Microsoft asked
why AOL wouldn't join an existing nondenominational task force already
working on an instant-messaging standard. As ZDNet framed the story: "Is
this a fight for open standards or is it to see who really controls
development of the technology?"
AOL Agrees to Work Toward Messaging Standard
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/daily/july99/aol30.htm
Apple's Support Enlisted in Messenger War (AP)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/07/biztech/articles/30apple-aol.html
[Registration required.]
America Online, Apple Team Up to Offer Instant Messaging Service
http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB933272693310060214.htm
[Registration required.]
Instant Messaging Battle Continues to Simmer
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2304273,00.html
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* Don Wright don@lexmark.com *
* Director, Strategic & Technical Alliances *
* Lexmark International *
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