Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Instant Messaging isn't Dead.

Author:William Crim
Posted:8/1/1999; 3:17:13 PM
Topic:Instant Messaging is Dead
Msg #:8983 (In response to 8976)
Prev/Next:8982 / 8984

The best things in life are organicly grown. This includes computer related things.

I remember, years ago, when the first graphical chats came about, that IRC was going to be dead withing a year. Far from it, there are now so many IRC networks I can't keep track of them all.(I rememeber EFNet only) Over and over again something came up and people would proclaim IRC dead and buried. In the end, IRC only grew and "Killer Product X" ended up dying, or becomming a front end for IRC. :-)

Push is declared the "big thing" by companies trying to make a name for themselves. Then it is declared dead, all the while, email(as Dave says is the oldest and most used push system out there) chugs along strong as ever.

Linux is declared the new thing. Now a few are saying that Linux is dead. I assume more will say that before things get all hashed out. However they forget that Linux developed in absense of "suits" and the arrival of the "suits" is nice, but their predictions are irrelevant. Linux was organicly grown to fit the needs of its users. It will survive and prosper precicely for that reason, no matter what happens.

Instant Messaging is the same thing. ICQ was created to fill a need in the Internet community, not to fit a marketing profile. It changed to fit the needs of its users. It grew to a massive user base on its merits, not hype. The only thing AOL has to do is pull the stick out of its butt, join the standards body and enjoy. ICQ *IS* what the people want, they have shown this. It won't die because someone says it will.

Proclaimations of the demise of "Activity X" or "Software X" on the Internet are usually wrong. Remember that people didn't think the Web could compete with the paid services of AOL and Compuserve. :-)

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