Sign in Subscribe
Microsoft Corp.

America Online Blocks Microsoft and Yahoo's Instant Messaging Software

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Instant messaging has become a highly popular feature on the Internet, with over 780 million messages sent daily by 80 million users of America Online's instant messaging services, which include its flagship on-line service and a free version, AIM. Microsoft and Yahoo introduced software designed to tap into AOL's instant messaging service, but America Online blocked the software, citing copyright and trademark violations. The feud highlights the importance of instant messaging in online communications and the need for open standards.

Key Takeaways:

  • America Online blocked Microsoft and Yahoo's instant messaging software, citing copyright and trademark violations.
  • The software was designed to interact with AOL's Instant Messaging service, which has 80 million users who send 780 million messages daily.
  • Microsoft and Yahoo used a technique called reverse engineering to mimic the behavior of AOL's instant messaging program.
  • AOL argued that the new products from Microsoft and Yahoo undermined its efforts to create a secure and trustworthy environment for its users.
  • The feud is an odd reversal of the war over Internet browsers between Microsoft and Netscape, now a subsidiary of America Online.
  • Instant messaging has become a crucial feature on the Internet, with over 40 million users of AOL's Instant Messaging service and 25 million users of the AIM free version.
  • The industry is working on developing a standard for instant messaging, but America Online has not agreed to comply with it.

Statistics:

  • 80 million users of America Online's instant messaging services.
  • 780 million messages sent daily by users of America Online's instant messaging services.
  • 40 million users of AOL's Instant Messaging service.
  • 25 million users of the AIM free version.
  • $325 million paid by America Online for the competing instant message service ICQ.
  • 18 million members of America Online's flagship on-line service.

Sources:

  • "AOL Fights Microsoft and Yahoo Over Audacious Plan" by unidentified author, The New York Times (no specific date mentioned).
  • "Instant Messaging: The Next Generation" by John Dvorak, PC Magazine (no specific date mentioned).
  • The original article.

Read more