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InstantMessaging

Instant Messaging is a really neat method of communcating with other people.

The UNIX program Talk? was perhaps one of the first 'messaging' programs, allowing users on the same system to communicate in real time.

AOL's AIM or "AOL Instant Messenger?" became the definitive program, with over a million instant messages? sent each day.

A relative new kid on the block is Jabber. Jabber is actually a open source framework for much more than IM traffic, but Jabber is predominately being used for messaging.

The different IM protocols

• AOL Instant Messenger? -- aka "AIM?".
  • TOC -- a different, more simple (and open) protocol that interoperates with AIM.
• MSN Messenger?
• ICQ
• Internet Relay Chat? -- (aka IRC )
• Jabber?
• Yahoo Messenger?

RobinsonTryon - 08 Mar 2003