RSSAOL Connects AIM, ICQ Networks
By Nate Mook | Published June 12, 2003, 8:08 PM
AOL has followed through on longstanding plans to offering messaging between its AIM and ICQ chat networks with a new alpha version of ICQ Lite. The test release of ICQ Lite features support for AIM and AOL buddies, the final ingredient necessary to achieve IM interoperability.
AOL began preparing for cross-network communication last October when it added support for ICQ users to the AIM client, but messages could not be exchanged until the ICQ client was updated. AOL purchased ICQ from Mirabilis in 1998, but opted to keep the two networks separate for business reasons, according to sources.
Because AOL's instant messaging platform is designed using modular "COOL" components, the restriction for interoperability lies in the client's support for a specific component. A version of AIM released in mid-2000 first showcased this technology by connecting to both ICQ and AOL independently, but could not send messages across networks.
The merger of AIM and ICQ will allow AOL to better compete against MSN and Yahoo! networks, which have slowly chipped away at AOL's IM market share. But with MSN Messenger shipping with Windows XP and Microsoft constantly adding new features to attract users, AOL may be forced to open its network to avoid a mass exodus.
In a recent antitrust settlement with Microsoft, AOL agreed to discuss compatibility between AIM and MSN. In order to enable such interoperability, Microsoft would need to port its MSN protocols to COOL. ICQ was ported to COOL shortly after its acquisition, but had little in the way of features at the time.
Only ICQ Lite currently supports communicating with AIM, but AOL says to "check back soon for new versions" of ICQ Pro and ICQ for Mac. AIM 5.1 or newer is also required. Searching for AOL or AIM users via ICQ is not yet active, but ICQ has created a message board to serve as a user directory.
It was only a matter of time before AOL would start connecting the two. I'm sure they're trying to make their messengers "more friendly with each other".
OT: I noticed that there are now pop-ups on BetaNews? That's sad.
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|Yes I realize my post below probably has the worst spelling ever. Sorry guys, I need coffee.
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|They have also added ADS to ICQ Lite, so this makes this build useless to me, even though the AOLICQ interoperability is a very nice addition.
Back to good o'build #1150.
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|What about you guys download www.trillian.cc that's been supporting interoperability between AIM/ICQ/YM/MSN for ages? lol
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|Trillian is nice, but it does not allow ICQ to communicate with AOL IM. It only incorporates the multiple messengers into one application.
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|Perhaps because Trillian is a steaming pile of cow dung and is a disgrace of an application?
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|This guy must work for aol or icq, or is too cheap to pay for the pro version of trillian. AIM and ICQ are crap a** programs and have been for years. The last time I used ICQ was when mirabilis still owned it and any jackass who would say such a bold statement about trillian has never used it. And BTW its obvious that this "interoperability" things is just to phase out ICQ...I mean cmon. It's too bad most people arenet smart enough to use jabber, But I will stick with my trillian pro and I copy of crapass yahoo messenger (feature packed, but horribly written). AIM is just plain BOOOOOOring and ICQ died a long time ago. MOVE ON, Live in the now.
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|"Trillian is nice, but it does not allow ICQ to communicate with AOL IM. It only incorporates the multiple messengers into one application."
Hmm, sure, that's what Trillian does and isn't it what they call "interoperability"?!
I can be logged on all 4 messengers and chat with any of them.
I don't see what your comment is all about...
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|Trillian offers multiple IM Connectivity but not interoperability. (only the server can enable this.)
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|well, ok, but the result is pretty much the same, aint it? ;)
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|yah it works for me ..
I really wonder if the ' steaming pile of cow dung ' comment is a user error. Trillian works great here ( .74 non pro )
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|Actually, I have used Pro, and it's no better.
The ONLY thing that Trillian offers to the table is the support for the different IM networks.
Trillian has other problems, like the fact that it follows NO sort of UI convention in Windows, it's buggy, it's slow, etc...
BTW, just from the fact that when I uninstalled Trillian all it did was remove itself from the Add/Remove Programs list, and left ALL of it's files in tact shows just how piss poor this program actually is.
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|I always forget the big picture and get caught up in the technicial detail. Yes, the two implementations make virtually no difference (signing up with multiple service is the only different) to the end user.
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|just for u..since u have trillian...but most likely the other person your chatting to doesnt have trillian...but if both users have trillian then yes..it doesnt make a differance..but whatsa the luck of all your contacks having trillian or another similar app like gaim, miranda and what not???
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|Been using Trillian for 2 years and it works like a charm.
It's a must-have app and it's ad-free! It's not bloatware like ICQ...
I only have a pentium 3 533Mhz and I don't find Trillian to be slow.
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|Most of Trillian works well. I used it long ago just as file x'fers were getting implimented. Even now and with the pro version file x'fers are still weird. Within the same office, sending a file to different users on the actual ICQ client get varied results. Some are fast, some are modem speeds, some don't happen at all. Receiving files isn't much better, however if I use ICQ, it always works. I prefer to have my files saved in a folder based on the senders username (like ICQ has always been). Trillian has this feature but rarely does it work. It still makes the folder based on the ICQ number instead.
Also, when the bug stopping Trillian from sending messages to ICQlite clients appeared a short time ago, the Trillian people were surely taking their own sweet time in fixing it. This is understandable for freeware apps when things get broke. This is bad for people that pay for it.
Memory usage isn't bad. But it doesn't hold a candle to Miranda for modularity. It's nice to have a single client that can do all IM protocols, but the user should be able to remove the resources it doesn't need. Miranda is truly custom tailored.
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|I didn't say it was bloatware, I said it was slow... and yes it is slow as compared to other instant messaging clients.
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|Trillian isn't the best thing in the world. I use it because I'm used to it and I like RSS notifications.
If you dislike Trillian, install GTK+ for Windows and use Gaim. It does exactly the same thing as Trillian (and it abides by standards)!
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|Hey Buddy,
You need to get your mind set streight
& im gonna DO IT. You need to know that
trillian is ad free, faster, more configureable
,& can use plugins. Being a "CPUGuy" you Should
Have a decient Machine but I'm mistaken if trillian
dosen't work fast for you then you need a major upgrade
to your system & may be a little more than that.....
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|this may not matter to some people but it definitely matters to me:
trillian's smileys are UGLY!
i have all 4 IM clients installed and i find it irritating as hell when one of my trillian user friends sends me a smiley and i have no idea what it means.
yahoo smileys are the best, by far, out of the big 4...
the breakdown is this:
icq is best for file transfer and chat history.
yahoo is best for smileys and regular chat.
aim and msn are just complete garbage....but i need to use them cuz of my ignorant friends who refuse to use yahoo or icq.
someday, we'll have interoperability between ALL of the big 4 and it won't be from a 3rd party company....(yeah yeah...keep dreaming)
as far as the 3rd party all-IM clients go, gaim is the way to go...
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