jim whitehead ejwcseucscedu suppose main surprise aol coming clean longrunning game talking interop everything possible prevent open standards arena seemed working fine end users completely oblivious aols actions httpwwwquickencominvestmentsnewsstorydjbnstorynewsstoriesdj2 0020723on20020723000833htm america online scales back instantmessaging compatibility efforts updated tuesday july 23 2002 0123 pm et dow jones newswires new york america online appears scaling back efforts make instantmessaging service compatible rival services unit aol time warner inc aol news msgs said regulatory filing focusing messaging interoperability methods limited scope kind envisioned federal communications commission approved aoltime warner merger january 2001 america online isnt required make messaging system interoperable others fccs merger approval included considered incentives company also required aol file progress reports interoperability efforts every six months recent report filed last week disclosed companys new direction upshot strategy shift instantmessaging market isnt much closer broadbased interoperability 18 months ago according industry analysts unlike email users competing instantmessaging services still cant directly trade messages america online instant messaging user cant communicate user microsoft corps msft news msgs msn messenger except using thirdparty software trillian america online biggest instantmessaging provider criticized blocking users rival services gaining access users company also accused dragging feet amid industry attempts interoperability part america online said wants protect security users reliability system points companies far failed agree interoperability standards fcc approved aoltime warner merger said america online wanted offer videoconferencing advanced instantmessaging features time warners cable lines first enable instant messaging users communicate users rival services intent condition prevent america online widening dominance instantmessaging market exploiting access time warner cable systems aol hasnt yet introduced video features even though rivals microsoft yahoo inc yhoo news msgs last year specifically fcc said america online would implement technology known servertoserver interoperability could offer video technology would allow users nonamerica online services detect aol users online trade messages would via communications computer servers operated messaging provider using common language progress report filed fcc last week america online said focus efforts alternatives servertoserver interoperability limited scope servertosever example alternative america online cited recent agreement make instantmessaging service compatible new messaging service apple computer corp aapl news msgs apple service ichat included mac os x 102 new apple operating system set release august ichat users able talk america online users wont involve servertoserver interoperability instead actual exchange messages occur america onlines servers even ichat customers use apple software believe kind hosted im solution provides least short term secure reliable costeffective means provide interoperability aol im unaffiliated im communities steven teplitz aols associate general counsel wrote progress report fcc apparent change strategy company spokeswoman kathy mckiernan said tuesday recognition servertoserver proven hard nut crack entire industry indeed users america onlines rival services cant directly communicate either alternative solution something could implement provide im communities communicate said ms mckiernan adding america online would explore partnerships messaging providers similar apple deal none announced far fcc officials couldnt reached tuesday america online hasnt ruled possibility would someday implement servertoserver interoperability company explored technology past including servertoserver last year lotus development unit international business machines corp ibm news msgs america onlines interoperability test lotus limited scope functionality true servertoserver technology would require significant expenditures time resources develop wrote mr teplitz internet engineering task force group devoted developing internet standards working servertoserver messaging technology hasnt yet developed final version according america online task force representatives couldnt reached companys strategy shift means true interoperability instant messaging still couple years away according michael gartenberg analyst jupiter research still something market wants said point itll happen maybe couple years road mr gartenberg analysts believe america online hasnt actively pursued true interoperability wants protect large user base messaging systems compatible company could lose ground prospective customers might see difference choosing another provider long reach america online users partly lack compatibility fcc conditions america online hasnt kept rivals offering new services msn yahoo videoconferencing via instantmessaging since last year aol denied held back video messaging avoid making system interoperable arguing little consumer demand new features paid companys rivals catching last october april microsofts messenger user base rose 32 291 million according comscore media metrix yahoos base jumped 19 192 million users period number users aolbranded messaging services increased 7 549 million peter loftus dow jones newswires 2019385267 peterloftusdowjonescom copyright 2002 dow jones company inc rights reserved httpxentcommailmanlistinfofork tue 23 jul 2002 132706 0700 aol scaling back im interoperability