Instant Messaging

Nil LakavivatStanislav Goryachev

Calle Spång

Content

• Introduction• History• Different protocols, clients• Standardization attempts• Additional features

Introduction

• Real time, text based communication between two or more people

• The messages are transfered over a network.• Examples (active accounts)– QQ (783 million)– Skype (309 million)– Windows Live Messenger (294 million)– Yahoo! Messenger (248 million)

History

• Predecessors (mid 1960s)• Quantum Link (late 80s- early 90s)• IRC (late1980s)• ICQ (1996)• Jabber (2000)

• Instant messanger – service mark

Protocols

• Standardization

Name Creator License Transport Layer Security

Spam protection

MSNP Microsoft Proprietary No No

OSCAR AOL Proprietary Yes Client based

XMPP Jaramie Miller

Open Yes Yes

QQ Tencent Inc Proprietary ? ?

Skype Skype Proprietary ? ?

ClientsName Creator Released Type OS

Adium Adam Iser, Evan Schoenberg

2001 Multi protocol OSX

AOL Instant Messenger

AOL 1997 Single protocol Windows, OSX, Linux

Google Talk Google Inc. 2005 Dual protocol Windows, Web based

ICQ Mirabilis 1996 Single protocol Windows

Skype Niklas Zennström, Janus Friis

2003 Single protocol Windows, OSX, Linux

QQ Tencent 1999 Single protocol Windows, OSX, Linux

Windows Live Messenger

Microsoft 2001 ”Dual protocol” Windows

Pros & Cons

• Pros– Easy and fast communication– Distance– Conference Meetings

• Cons– Security risks– Inappropriate use– Privacy